Press Release Friday 16th January
Lachlan Mackay
Organiser of the Prayer Vigil for Peace in the Middle East

About 80 people attended the Interfaith Prayer Vigil held at St Andrew’s on the Terrace last night which was hosted by the Minister, Dr. Margaret Mayman and supported by the Peace Foundation and the United Nations Association of NZ

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Rabbi Johanna Hershenson from the Jewish Progressive Congregation and Carrie Coddington from the Kapiti Bahai Network

7 Representatives from local faith communities read prayers for peace for the Middle East after which they were invited to light each other’s candles before encouraging the public to do so:

Rabbi Johanna Hershenson, Rabbi of the Jewish Progressive Congregration

Sultan Eusuf, Chief Officer of the Federation of Islamic Associations of NZ

Carrie Coddington, Kapiti Bahai Network

Tiopira Rauna, Secretary of the Wellington Regional Interfaith Network

Rev. Godfrey Nicholson, Vicar of St Peter's on Willis

Ratilal Champaneri, President of the NZ Central Indian Association

Melanie Gregg and Leema, Members of Soka Gakkai NZ

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Tiopira Rauna, Secretary of the Wellington Regional Interfaith Network and Melanie Gregg from Soka Gakkai NZ

The Peace Prayer Vigil was a spiritual event providing an opportunity for people to appreciate and reflect on the universal call for peace in the different religious faiths. I felt that it gave a very powerful message to the people who were there and it proved to me that there was still a possible chance for peace in the Middle East.

I would like to thank all who participated in this event.

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Winne Laban, Labour Party's Mana MP attending the event

ENDS

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