I would like to share this news with great joy that the URI Pakistan, Peace Center Lahore and National Council for Interfaith Dialogue celebrated Symphony of Peace Prayers at Peace Center in Lahore on 20th of May, 2012. This day was chosen to express our solidarity and unity with Byakko Shinko Kai which has announced to observe this day. We felt very much united with you and other people at Fuji Sanctuary and 25 countries where this peace filled day was being observed. We could feels spiritually united longing for peace and harmony in the world.
There were 120 people from all walks of lives present at Peace Center. They were members of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Bhai religions. The program started around 7.00PM with words of welcome and Dr. Kanwal Feroze, Fr Pascal Paulus OP, and all other Guests of Honor were presented bouques. Fr. Francis Nadeem OFM Cap, offer Christian prayer, Zubair Ahmed Farooq recited from the Holy Quran, Baghat Lal Khkbor for the Hindu and Mr. Yousaf Bajnori from the Baha'i Holy Book. Mr. Yuel Bhatti, Executive Secretary URI Pakistan and Miss Moiada Ali, Student of F.C.College were the stage Secretaries.
Fr James Channan OP, formally welcomed all the guests and shared with them about the significance of this SOPP. He also read the special message from Mrs. Masami, Chairperson, Byakko Shinko Kai, which was sent especially at this occasion. The this message was also translated into Urdu. In her message, Mrs. Masami wrote;
"Words cannot express my deep emotion upon learning that the Dominican Community and the URI in Pakistan are again holding a Symphony of Peace Prayers ceremony today at the Peace Center in Lahore!" She also expressed gratitude for the long -term of the URI. "Thanks to the long-term support of the United Religions Initiative and the Dominican Community, the SOPP has been steadily expanding year by year; and this year, 2012, the event has entered a new dimension. For the first time, we are privileged to welcome the Rev. Canon Charles P. Gibbs, Director of the URI, to Fuji Sanctuary as an honored guest and prayer leader.......Today, the combined prayers being sent out from Lahore, Fuji Sanctuary, and all other SOPP ceremonies across theglobe will create a field of high-dimensional light and energy from which a great, harmonizing power will spread out through the world. As a result, the walls of prejudice and antagonism that have long separated the world’s religions will be able to crumble and fade away. And in their place, the pillars of respect and interfaith understanding that you have been building will strengthen and expand." She also revealed the plan for a large scale Symphony of Peace Prayers to be held next year at the United Nations. The ceremony that you are holding in Lahore today is contributing greatly to this epoch-making event. How grateful I am to you for this! I earnestly hope that each one of you will deeply recognize the preciousness of your own peace-loving existence, and the example you are setting for the world. I pray that you will continue live each moment praising yourselves, thanking yourselves, and rejoicing in the wonder of your existence."
The message of Masami was highly appreciated by all the participants and applauded with claps and gratitude.
A couple of peace songs were sung by Ms. Ameena Hameed and St. Joseph Choir, Lahore. A couple of speeches were made by Prof. Jacon Paul, Jahangir Piara, Sohail Ahmed Raza.
In the second part of this pgram, Fr Pascal Paulus OP, Prior Vice Provincial of the Ibn-e-Mariam, Vice Province Pakistan made an announcement that this Peace Center is dedicated to Fr James Channan OP in recognition of this untiring and great work of promoting interfaith dialogue and peace in Pakistan and around the world. Fr Pascal said that we are proud of Fr James Channan and its a great honor for me as head of the Dominican Order in Pakistan that I announced to dedicate this beautiful hall to fr James Channan OP. After that unveiled a marble plate which read that " This Peace Center is Dedicated to Rev. Fr James Channan OP for his vision and completion of this Peace Center." The dedication of this Peace Center to fr Channan filled the hall with joy and everyone expressed his/her joy and appreciated for this well deserved great honor and recognition of Fr James Chanann.
In the third part of the SOPP ceremony there recitation of poems by several famous poets of Pakistan such as; Rev. Marcus Fida. Rev. Samson Dilawar, Mr. Tariq Javed, Prof. Victoria Patrick, Mr. Munir Bhatti, Ijaz Ullah Naz, and Mahmood Shamas and by the Chief Guest ms. Shabnam Nagi and Dr. Kanwal Feroze. He Presided over the ceremony. Sr. Sabina Rifat, a famous poet and URI Women Wing Coordinator Pakistan, conducted this poetry program. Fr Francis Nadeem thanked all the guests and Mrs. Masami Saionji and also announced that another special program will be arrange in honor of Fr James Channan to pay him rich tribute for the great and extraordinary work he is doing to bringing reconciliation, peace and harmony among people of all religions.
At the end of the program all guests were offered very delicious super and cold drinks etc.
I am pasting some photos of this SOPP in Lahore. I am sure you can get the feeling of this grand program.
May Peace Prevail On Earth!
May Peace Prevail in Japan!
May Peace Prevail in Pakistan
In peace,
fr James Channan OP
Director Peace Center Lahore
URI Regional Coordinator Pakistan
