Religious Leaders Seek Social Peace through Religion

Religious Leaders Seek Social Peace through Religion

The heads of religious communities and political leaders across New Zealand will be congregating in Auckland to consider what role religion could play in today’s world and whether religion continued to be a force for good.

‘Social Peace & Religion’ is the theme set for the 2014 Peace Conference as religious leaders representing their respective faiths will present their views at this year’s conference organised by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community New Zealand.

The purpose of the symposium is to encourage healthy discussion between religions on a chosen topic. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community began this conference in New Zealand eight years ago to help breed mutual understanding within communities and to encourage the message of peace.

The Worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad in one of recent addresses said “Peace depends on justice and economic progress depends on peace.” This is the most pertinent advice offered to the world by his Holiness. Economic justice is a beautiful slogan common both to capitalism and socialism. Unfortunately, however, both have failed to do full justice to this golden principle as economic exploitation and unfair practices continue to widen the gap between the rich and the poor.

Mr Mohammad Iqbal, National President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in New Zealand said “Today we live in a world full of strife; where warfare and conflict are commonplace; where economies have faltered under the weight of inequality and political systems have ruptured by the force of their corruption; where the most basic of rights purported to be for the many are usurped by the few; where world leaders are finding themselves increasingly powerless in offering lasting solutions to global problems. For every level of human existence be it individual, communal, national or international, it is acutely obvious that our modern world is devoid of social peace and harmony.”

Mr Iqbal add “It is time that each of the major faiths ponder over these issues, consider what is the true purpose of religion and find a common answer to today’s issues.”

The event is inclusive of all faiths calling on Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist beliefs for enlightenment and religious harmony and is set to be held on Saturday 23rd August 2014 at the Mt Eden War Memorial Hall commencing at 10.30 am. The event is open to the public with refreshments and lunch provided by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is a dynamic, fast-growing international revival movement within Islam. Founded in 1889 by Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835-1908) in Punjab, India, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community spans over 204 countries with membership exceeding tens of millions. The New Zealand branch of this community was established in 1987 and has just over 400 members. It is a registered charitable organisation and endeavours to be an active and integrated community within New Zealand society.

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