Participation in the Interfaith Prayer for World Peace
Every year in the month of October marked the Spring Season in Southern Hemisphere as well as the month for World Peace Prayer initiated by Catholic Church in Christchurch allowing the public to take part in the meaningful event. The Interfaith Prayer for World Peace event which was organised by Canterbury Interfaith Society (CIS) held in Hagley Park, Christchurch at 16th October this year had invited numerous interfaith member representative from all religion including Race Relations Commissioner Dame Susan Devoy, Buddhism, Catholics, Christians, Muslim, Hinduism, Sikhism and all other religion member. The participants including Fo Guang Shan South Island Temple Supervisor Venerable Jue Xi, Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) Vice President James Low, BLIA Lecturer Rona Chen, BLIA Committee Mei-Hwa Chen, President of YAD South Island Dong Zhang and approximately 20 other members of BLIA attended the event. The event has accumulated close to 100 participants for World Peace Prayer.
In the opening speech given by Dame Susan Devoy, she was honoured and rather pleased in participating the meaningful World Peace Prayer ceremony, an event that promotes peace, understanding and harmonisation of all religions and races in New Zealand. Susan has read to public The Peace Poem by John Denver. Besides that, all other religion’s representative have presented on stage their prayer. Venerable Jue Xi and BLIA member representing Buddhism to recite the “World Peace Prayer”, written by Venerable Master Hsing Yun to the public valuing the importance of world peace.
The organiser had invited BLIA YAD member to perform a closing song in Siddhartha the musical, “We Are One”. While the amazing performance was on-going, the public had started to sing along as the blessing ceremony set off an amazing and joyous atmosphere.
President of CIS, Jennifer and her daughter, Stephanie said in an interview that the event had instead of encouraging the public to cherish peace but also to create an opportunity of knowing each other. They claimed that this event was full of loved and humanity impact to the society; in addition it also promote social harmony in creating world peace for different race, age, religion and diversity of people.
In the interview with Fr. Crement, from France, said that in this beautiful sunny day, given an opportunity to participate in the meaningful event to pray, communicate and understand different religious concepts was a rare and precious experience. He also said that Christchurch is a good city for harmonisation and peace as the residence respect and accepting the differences of races and religion. Fr. Crement shared his 3 years of experience in Taiwan, witnessing the religious communication between Venerable Master Hsing Yun and Catholic Taiwan Bishop Paul Shan Kuo-hsi made him admire the wisdom which worth learning.
At the closing ceremony, everyone were invited to ring the Peace Bell as a hope in spreading to every inch of the world reminding all humanity the importance of world peace and precious harmonisation.