Bridging faiths at Iftar in church; message of love and cooperation from Archbishop
Telegraph | 31 March 2025
An Iftar was organised on the premises of a church on Thursday to uphold the spirit of togetherness that Calcutta embodies.
On the premises of the Church of Christ the King in Park Circus, participants from different religions came together in the “spirit of love, harmony and solidarity”
“What we need today is an atmosphere for dialogue. Together we need to build the community of love, friendship, cooperation,” said Reverend Thomas D’ Souza, archbishop of Calcutta and president United Interfaith Foundation-India.
“This is an occasion when we say we are brothers and sisters. Certainly, we have our separate religious identities, but as human beings, we share the joys of others,” the archbishop said.
The United Interfaith Foundation works to bring people together and exchange views in simple ways to build brotherhood and friendship, the archbishop said. “How we can help one another, how we can remain friendly and cooperate and create a family, is the idea.”
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, currently in the UK, sent a message to the Foundation, congratulating its effort in promoting peace, unity and harmony.
Imam Moulana Qari Fazlur Rahman said such gatherings remind everyone of the beauty of coexistence and the power of collective action. “It is our shared responsibility to uphold these values and propagate peace.”
True peace lies in embracing the differences and finding strength in each other.
“Interfaith dialogue is not just a conversation — it is a bridge to a harmonious world where love and respect transcend every boundary,” said Satnam Singh Ahluwalia, general secretary, United Interfaith Foundation-India.