Every year, World Interfaith Harmony Week is observed during the first week of February, after being proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2010. It begins of 1 February and concludes on 7 February. A culture of peace is characterized by mutual understanding and interreligious dialogue. This is why the General Assembly established World Interfaith Harmony Week as a means of promoting harmony between people regardless of their religious beliefs.
There are other thematic observations. International Day of Human Fraternity is observed on 4 February. International Day of Living Together in Peace is observed on 16 May. World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development and International Human Solidarity Day is observed on 21 May and 20 December respectively.
Theme of World Interfaith Harmony Week 2022
World Interfaith Harmony Week is observed during the first week of February, after being proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2010. The theme of Theme of World Interfaith Harmony Week 2022
The theme of World Interfaith Harmony Week during various years:
- The Theme of World Interfaith Harmony Week 2012: The Diaspora-a Force for Positive Change
- The Theme of World Interfaith Harmony Week 2014: Tolerance, Reconciliation and Forgiveness
- The Theme of World Interfaith Harmony Week 2015: Interfaith Prayer, Healing, and Community Services in the Cause of Peace
- The Theme of World Interfaith Harmony Week 2016: Building Bridges across Boundaries
- The Theme of World Interfaith Harmony Week 2019: Sustainable Development through Interfaith Harmony
Quick Facts about Interfaith Harmony across the globe
- There are about 2.5 billion practising Christians.
- There are an estimated 1.2 billion non-believers.
- Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are Abrahamic religions. Meaning that they all worship a form of Abraham.
- There are 2 billion followers.
- There are more than 1 billion Hindus across the globe. The third largest religion in the world.
Future World Interfaith Harmony Week Observance:
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | February 1 | Wednesday |
| 2024 | February 1 | Thursday |
| 2025 | February 1 | Saturday |
| 2026 | February 1 | Sunday |
| 2027 | February 1 | Monday |
History of World Interfaith Harmony Week
Initially proposed by King Abdullah II of Jordan at the United Nations in 2010, World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW) promotes a culture of peace and nonviolence. It was quickly adopted by the UN General Assembly, which declared each year’s first week of February as World Interfaith Harmony Week, encouraging governments, institutions, and civil society to promote the objectives of WIHW through various programs and initiatives.
Read Also: The International Day of Peace