On the International Day of Peace, 21 September, The Cordoba Foundation (TCF) will be joining other organisations and faith institutions to express solidarity with all efforts intended to make this world more peaceful.
As the day falls on a Friday when Muslims gather for their weekly afternoon Friday Prayers, Salatul-Jumu’a, this year’s celebration will be particularly poignant as mosques and Islamic centres in the UK will open their doors to visitors wishing to join them during or after Friday prayers. People of different faiths and none will exchange messages of peace, celebrate local peace-building and share hospitality. They will be joined by others overseas, some as far as Sri Lanka and Thailand.
Abdullah Faliq, Head of Research at TCF, which has been working on this campaign from the outset, explained: “Unlike launching into war, establishing peace requires a lot of determination and continuous effort. We are delighted that people of all faith and none have come together to mark the International Day of Peace this year with so much vigor and passion.”
In such a turbulent period of global history, TCF Chief Executive, Anas Altikriti, stressed that “peace is not the absence of conflict and violence, but rather the establishment of justice through mutual respect, understanding and acceptance”.
Thus the International Peace Day is a reminder to all of us to find alternatives to what threatens peace and harmony and to provide a space for people to realise their own destinies.
TCF is particularly delighted to release a special edition of its Occasional Papers series, in commemoration of the International Day of Peace. Titled, Sustainable Peace for a Sustainable Future, it features an article by the Grand Mufti of Bosnia-Herzegovina, and messages of support from Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury; Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary General of the Organisation of the Islamic Corporation (OIC); Jeremy Gilley, Founder of Peace One Day; Catriona Robertson from London Peace Network. The Occasional Papers will be released at a ceremony hosted by Lord Bates to mark the official launch of International Peace Day at Westminister Hall, Houses of Parliament (UK) on Friday 21st September at 11am.
TCF commends London Peace Network (and its partners), for undertaking such an unprecedented initiative of linking UK Islamic centres with other institutions.
Commenting further on this Anas Altikriti, said “We are taught that we do not inherit the earth from our forefathers but we borrow it from our grandchildren. We need to all collectively work towards the promotion of peace and understanding between cultures and civilisations. This initiative is the right and first step and needs all our support”.
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Notes to editors:
1. For a full list of participating mosques and Islamic centres, see
http://londonpeacenetwork.wordpress.com
2. Media / general enquiries about International Peace Day:
Catriona Robertson, London Peace Network, 07903 682 142, convener@lbfn.org
Julian Bond, Christian Muslim Forum, 07813 018 450, info@christianmuslimforum.org
Abdullah Faliq, The Cordoba Foundation, 0208 991 3372, abdullah@thecordobafoundation.com
Ali Abbas Razawi, Majlis-e-Ulama Europe, 07894 277 658, sayed.a.r@hotmail.co.uk
3. Link to introductory film
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrF7vSOBSbM&feature=youtu.be
4. For anyother enquries, please contact Amjad Saleem, Head of Communications, The Cordoba Foundation, 020 8991 3370 / media @thecordobafoundation.com
