Report Of IAPD 3-Day Religious Leaders Workshop In Zambia

Written by Fabrice Djimadoum

Thursday, April 20, 2023

Lusaka, Zambia-The Interreligious Association for Peace and Development (IAPD) Zambia Chapter held a 3-day Religious leaders' workshop under hospices of the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) Zambia Chapter from April 4 to 6, 2021 at Golden Peacock Hotel in Lusaka. Twenty (20) participants attended this workshop.

Recognizing the agent need for different religious communities in different nations to come together to foster peace, mutual understanding prosperity and development, UPF Zambia organized the workshop to provide insight to IAPD Executive Committee members the organization's vision, objectives and the execution of the Intended aims. The Introduction to UPF and its associations, introduction videos to UPF and IAPD, True Parents (UPF Founders) Life Course, Family Values, Character Education among others lectures were shared with participants during the workshop. The workshop brought together different religious leaders who are in the executive committee and other interested spiritual leaders.   

The main speakers were, Rev. Bakary Camara, the General Overseer of IAPD Africa, Rev. Jean-Ghomsi, Senior Lecturer and IAPD Africa Staff, Rev. George Ogurie, IAPD Africa Coordinator, Rev. Rudolf Faerber, UPF Zambia Secretary General and Rev. David Isaac Phiri, FFWPU Zambia President. The Zambian IAPD Executive Committee members comprises five religious faiths from Christianity community, Jewish Community, Hindustan community and Bahia Faith community.  Therefore, the workshop was represented by 20 participants from these five faiths an exciting workshop in the history of Zambia with the government officials who was the guest of honour calling it unprecedented workshop. The workshop was the first IAPD of its kind, as IAPD Africa is seeking the best practices to strengthen and expand IAPD activities. Therefore, the content used in the were formulated for the first time through interaction between IAPD AFRICA and General Overseer Rev. Camara through Zoom as well as discussions with UPF/IAPD Zambia Chapter.

Different speaker gave the closing remarks. The Archbishop Peter Ndhlovu said the workshop was vision casting, it was an eye-opener and thanked the convener UPF for a job well done. He said peace is only talked about, but he said it needs to be implemented. He said he wanted to be part and parcel of the implementation as spiritual leader. Furthermore, he said Zambia has been a beacon of Peace and said what politicians cannot do, religious leaders can achieve.  The Archbishop said peace is not a talk shop but something that can be achieved and IAPD is one such organization that has the strength to achieve.  He then called on the guest of honor that whenever they hear about UPF or IAPD they should not close their door.

FFWPU Zambia President Rev Phiri said in his remarks that with the resolution that was signed by spiritual leaders both in Korea and then in Zambia Chapter by the executive committee and religious leaders from different Faiths and presented to African Union is a signal that religious leaders are important in the dispensation of peace. He bemoaned the immoral trend in the family which need to be restored because peace starts with a God-fearing family. Rev. Phiri called upon the government to work together in partnership with IAPD.

In his closing remarks during the induction meeting, Rev. Camara said Mother Moon and Rev. Moon’s peace building vision is based on God, our creator. Therefore, people need to know God’s vision of peace building. The society, the nation, depends on religious leaders to bring about peace because spiritual leaders have followers. But politicians have seen that religious leaders are divided.

He said the very moment they shall see the religious leaders from different faiths are united, the politicians shall start looking to them for education, guidance, inspiration and prayers. That is why Mother Moon launched IAPD. IAPD is the Center of all things. For him since IAPD is spiritual, therefor the spiritual is the centre of the physical body. He said that Mother Moon shared with him that Africa is the hope, even Korea which was known as the Jerusalem of the East have gone down in terms of spirituality. Furthermore, he told the religious leader that the custodian of spirituality growth. He said by coming together, we are showing how God works and that way, we show true love.

He pursues that if you what to engage into something, you have to know it. Not only that, but he said that was the reason the workshop was organized. However, he was quick to mention that for anything you do, after the workshop there was need for results. He said there was escalating youth delinquency. Therefore, there was need to build good character for the youth, promote family values. He also suggested how Africa need to create a movement to come together as Muslims, Jews, Christians, Hindus and Baha’i Faith. A movement called Africa Spirituality Day. He disclosed all these facts shall be shared during the remaining two days. He thus closed the meeting by reminding them to live as true brothers and sister. Likewise, he asked the participants to do groundwork of foundation by putting up something that has never been done before.

At the end of the workshop, participants signed the IAPD declaration and new religious leaders were appointed Ambassadors for Peace.

The guest of honor, Dr. Martha Sitali, Director of National Guidance and Religious Affairs desk at the office of the Vice President in her closing remarks during the closing ceremony of the workshop thanked IAPD for organizing such workshop. She commended UPF and IAPD for bringing together all the religious leaders in this important workshop. She further said that, in the next workshop, she will be not come as a guest of honor only but as a participant as well to learn more. Furthermore, she concluded her speech by saying that, the government is open to work with UPF and its association IAPD.

To be noted that the Shin Africa Regional Vice President, Mrs. Mica Amanlaman Camara attended in the closing ceremony.