World Religion Day 2015 Religion as a Force for Unity and an Inspiration for Community Service
In recent
months, events across the globe and here in Ottawa, have presented us
with tragically familiar acts of violence committed in the name of
faith. But, once again, citizens from Ottawa’s diverse faith
communities have demonstrated the power of religion to unite as they
came together to celebrate World Religion Day.
Bahá'í communities and their friends from other faith communities have celebrated World Religion Day
since it was instituted in 1950. For the last 15 years, the Ottawa
Bahá'ís have organized and promoted a gathering of the “multifaithful”
at City Hall. This year’s event in the Council Chamber, which opened
with an Algonquin blessing and closed with the drums and harmonies of a
Congolese Catholic choir, focussed on the theme of “Service: The
Heartbeat of Community.”
Ottawa
Mayor Jim Watson, along with City Councillors Shad Qadri, Michael
Qaqish and Marianne Wilkinson, gave a warm welcome to all in officially
proclaiming the Day. Mayor Watson noted the contrast between alarming
global headlines and the quiet work done by many in Ottawa to create a
better and more harmonious city. He particularly saluted the work of
the Capital Region Interfaith Council, as well as the Ottawa Bahá'í
community for its coordination of the January 18 event.
Waubgeshig
Rice, CBC journalist and Anishinaabe storyteller, facilitated a youth
panel on service. “It’s amazing that we’re all together like this
– I’m so excited!” said Maria Fam, 23, an Egyptian Orthodox Christian
who shared stories that highlighted the positive social impact of
religion. Fellow University of Ottawa student Shruti Mallya spoke about
her volunteer work with the homeless and her career goals in public health. Her Hindu upbringing reminded her
to “see the face of the Divine” in everyone. Carleton student Amin
Rashidi explained that his pre-teen studies of service and
self-knowledge offered by a Bahá'í community in the middle-east later
motivated him to be a “big brother” to 12-15 year olds when he moved to
Ottawa. Chelby Daigle, who works in diversity and community relations
areas with the Ottawa police, noted how the Islamic imperatives of
compassion and charity animate her own efforts to help Ottawa’s Muslims
better understand their own diverse congregations, as well as forging
stronger links with the wider community.
In
addition to these enthusiastic and inspiring conversations, there was a
soulfully sung prayer for unity and a choral reading of passages from
five of the world’s great religions which exalted the necessity and the
glory of service.
More than 100 people from a variety of faith
perspective joined in the formal celebration of World Religion Day 2015
and the food and drink and conversation which followed. In both
form and content, the event emphasized the power of faith to bring
people together to serve their community. To quote one of the choral readings,“It is not through lip-service” that any of us attain holiness, “but by patient lives of active service.”
