123 Kolkata: People from diverse faiths gathered at the parish hall of Church of Christ the King for iftar on Thursday, underscoring Kolkata's diverse cultural fabric and spirit of inclusivity.
The annual interfaith iftar was hosted by the United Interfaith Foundation, Kolkata, in collaboration with IHA Foundation. Themed ‘Together We Thrive', the get-together embodied the essence of Ramzan as members of different communities broke bread together. The Archbishop of Calcutta, Rev Father Thomas D'Souza, hailed the gathering as a tribute to "harmony, brotherhood and the inclusive spirit of Kolkata". Echoing him, Qari Fazlur Rahman, who leads Eid prayers on Red Road, emphasised the importance of continuing this tradition to strengthen communal bonds. "This evening is a beacon of hope and a reminder of how we celebrate each other's cultures. This tradition must continue," said Archbishop D'Souza. Qari Rahman said, "Let us give peace a chance. We owe our children this."
Among politicians present were Babul Supriyo, Debasish Kumar, Rachna Banerjee and Jaiprakash Mazumdar. "We may belong to different faiths, but we celebrate festivals together. This is Bengal's tradition," said Kumar.
Satnam Singh Ahluwalia, chairman of IHA Foundation and general secretary of UIFI, said, "Isn't it beautiful that a Sikh is hosting iftar for his Muslim brothers and sisters in a church?" Consul general, US, Kathy Giles-Diaz, Natalia Leigh from British high commission Delhi, The Royal Thai consul general Siriporn Tantipanyathep and consul general of Nepal J P Acharya were also present.
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