In support of the United Nations’ World Interfaith Harmony Week, the Montreal chapter of UPF Canada hosted an in-person meeting at its local Headquarters principally to explore with leaders of society the critical contribution of religious leaders in connecting various sectors of society toward social harmony and a confluence of values. About 35 guests – religious leaders of different faiths, community leaders, scholars, and one representative from the political field – plus seven or eight UPF members participated in the luncheon meeting under the title The Role of Religious Leaders in Building a World of Peace.

 

Mistress of Ceremonies Chantale Viau opened the program by introducing the president of UPF Canada, Dr. Franco Famularo, who gave an overview of the UPF principles in relation to our efforts to promote religious harmony throughout the decades since our founding. Chantale then introduced the keynote speaker, Mr. Eric Le Reste, recently retired, who spoke about his spirituality in the context of his dual career as a highly successful Radio Canada (CBC) host of social commentary programs and his other role as yoga master and coordinator of the Brahma Kumaris Centres in Canada. His message, often punctuated with humour, was that spirituality, which requires one to be a living example of belief through self-discipline rather than merely believing, begets wisdom – the ability to navigate life well.

 

Two respondents followed, giving commentaries to the theme based on their faith perspectives:

 

• Denitsa Tsvetkova, Ph.D., coordinator of the Canadian Center for Ecumenism, who spoke of interior peace as the precondition to outward peace, the need for courage in interfaith dialogue and her concern that political instrumentalization of religions and religious people may lead to the denial of religious expression in a secularized society. She urged religious leaders to pay attention to their religious neighbours and make relationships which last.

 

• Boufeldja Benabdallah, co-founder and spokesperson for the Quebec City Mosque, who extoled the five principles of UPF as something that should be signed by leaders of all faith communities because of its universal character, reinforced the path to wisdom expressed by Mr. Le Reste, and reiterated the need for courage to follow the path iterated in the Islamic axiom that people of different communities were created as such so as to get to know each other, learn from each other, and live in peace.
In attendance for the entire session was Mr. André Morin, Member of the National Assembly for the district in which our headquarters lies, and he gave some very encouraging words from the perspective of his role as shadow Minister for Justice in the Quebec government.

 

Isabelle Laurin, coordinator of UPF Quebec, led a lively period of Q & A which was followed by an equally lively lunch, prepared by members of UPF Montréal and enjoyed by the participants, many of whom lingered to extend the period of exchanges and networking that had taken place.

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