President of Pakistan and all representatives themselves for the noble cause of peace and harmony in the world
At the initiative of the Grand Imam of the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore, Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, International Interfaith Peace Conference was organized at the local hotel in Islamabad on 25th of January, 2023. His Excellency, Dr. Arif Alvi, President of Pakistan was th Chief Guest, Dr. Andrea
With the arrival of winter, Church groups are rushing aid to people affected by the devastating floods that hit the country in June.
Temperatures are already dropping in Pakistan, which is still reeling from flooding that put one-third of the country under water, displaced eight million people and caused at least US$28 billion worth of damage.
The coldest months will be December and January when the mercury will plummet to well below freezing.
A grand “National Interfaith Harmony and Peace Conference” was organized by the Dominicans on 14 th of February, 2022 in the beautiful premises of Peace Center in Lahore. In this conference over 60 prominent Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and Baha’i leaders gathered to share and celebrate the achievement of interfaith dialogue and also to highlight the challenges we are faced with in promoting this important mission of dialogue among religions to make world more peaceful and humane.
The basic purpose of the Peace Center Lahore to organize this Covid-19 Awareness Campaign was to make schools staff and students aware about Covid-19, and involve in different activities regarding COVID-19 and strengthen the schools, by activating its staff and students. Together Peace Center joins hands with the schools and organizations for the prevention of COVID-19 to improve the education system in Pakistan. In this program school staff and students were given the opportunities to share their issues and strategies to address the problem of COVID-19 in educational institutions.
National Minorities Day which was announced in 2009 and included the active persuasion by Mr. Clement Shahbaz Bhatti, the Christian Federal Minister who was assassinated on March 2, 2011 LAHORE, Pakistan: Following its tradition of observing National Minorities’ Day every year, the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) held a 5th Convention on August 10, 2021 on the theme of ‘Equality of Rights: Challenges of Implementation’.
Peace Center and URI Pakistan jointly organized program to celebrate the Independence Day of Pakistan on 14th August, 2021 at Peace Center. The chief guest of the program was Vice Provincial of Dominicans in Pakistan Fr. Younas Shahzad OP.
3rd interactive youth forum for the Commemoration of the international youth day organized by Institute for Social and Youth Development (ISYD) and Ministry of Climate Change in collaboration with The Asian-Pacific Resource & Research Center for Women (ARROW) on 7th August, 2021.
Awareness Seminar on Christian Faith Formation, Leadership and Climate Action organized by Peace Center on 16th July, 2021. The main audience and beneficiaries of the program were Christian youth from various backgrounds. They represented their Church and community along with different challenges, they are confronting being minority in Pakistan. Many influential personalities were invited as guest speakers; Fr. Taufiq Younas OP, Ms Neelam Nisari, Mr. Ijaz Azad, Mr. Kamran Chaudhary, Pastor Khuram and Pastor Samuel Massey.
Christian Faith Formation is the ongoing program to engage Christians from different denominations for the promotion and affirmation of Christian Faith. Peace Center invited young girls and women in the program on 9th October, 2020 at Peace Center. Fr. James Channan OP Director Peace Center and Regional Coordinator URI Pakistan presided the program.
The year 2020 has been a powerful reminder that we are all in this together, and our choices and actions have the power to protect the most vulnerable among us in a big way. The same holds true when it comes to breast cancer.
We are experiencing difficult time due to COVID-19 pandemic, people are frustrated due to; unemployment, inflation, helplessness, and starvation. Along with raising awareness and promotion of peace and interfaith harmony, URI Pakistan and APPNA organizations collaborate & arranged grocery packs for 51 deserving families, living in a marginalized area of Sundar, district Lahore, Pakistan.
Kinnaird Centre for Learning and Cultural Development invited Mr. Faisal Ilyas, Executive Secretary Peace Center Lahore to attend a seminar on Equal Citizenship, Social and Cultural Diversity.
Peace Center Lahore organized Christian Faith Formation Seminar for youth. Christian youth came from different backgrounds to attend the seminar on 18th September, 2019. Fr. Dr. James Channan OP Director Peace Center Lahore and Fr. Patrick Peter OP Student Master, Ibn-e-Mariam Formation House gave very comprehensive lectures that how we can practice our Christian Faith while facing many challenges as minority in Pakistan.
A Sikh-Christian Delegation around 35 people from different backgrounds gathered in Lahore on 23rd November 2019 and paid solidarity visit to commemorate the 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Sahib, he was (1469) the first guru of the Sikhs. The delegation was lead by Mr. James Rehmat Executive Director ECHD...
Peace Center Lahore and URI Pakistan organized a beautiful program to celebrate the Interfaith Christmas with all friends and community members from different religions and backgrounds. The program was conducted on 17th December, 2019 at Peace Center and around 125 people attended the program. Fr. Younis Shahzad OP vice Provincial presided the program and Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad was the Chief Guest.
Kinnaird Centre for Learning and Cultural Development invited Mr. Faisal Ilyas, Executive Secretary Peace Center Lahore to attend a seminar on Equal Citizenship, Social and Cultural Diversity. BURGAD Organization for youth development and Kinnaird College for women jointly organized the seminar on 29th January, 2020, at Hladia Hall.
Interfaith Council for Peace and Harmony, Pakistan organized National Interfaith Peace Conference with the collaboration of Federal Ministry Religious & Minorities Affairs Pakistan at Marriott Hotel Islamabad. Religious scholars, representatives of Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Sikh communities, social activists, diplomats of various countries and people from different walks of life participated in the conference.
A Catholic priest has been honored by the Pakistan government for his “exemplary services” to promote interfaith harmony and peace in his own country and worldwide. Father James Channan, a Dominican who has spent 50 years following the spirituality of St. Dominic,
Lahore (Agenzia Fides - "Progress has been made in recent years with regards to the path of dialogue and interreligious harmony in Pakistan: today there are many organizations run by Muslims and other faiths committed in this field. The Government of Pakistan has also set up a special ministry for religious affairs and interreligious harmony, indicating an institutional commitment.
We as Christians, Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs from Pakistan share your grief and pain. May the Risen Lord Jesus Christ console and wipe out your tears. Amen!
URI Pakistan organized a panel discussion on Earth Day, 2019 with the theme of Environmental Pollution and our Responsibility. On April 23, 2019 URI Pakistan arranged this panel discussion with the collaboration of COPE Pakistan, Peace Center Lahore, Faces Pakistan and Kul Maslik Ulma Board at Peace Center.
Interfaith Peace Mela organized by United Religions Initiative and Peace Center Lahore along with different local organizations’ collaboration on December 5, 2018 at Peace Center Lahore where different cultural, educationist, peace building, interfaith, entertaining and joyful activities performed for the promotion of peace and harmony in Pakistan. Dr. Badar Munir was the Chief Guest and Fr. Dr. James Channan OP presided of the program.
URI is composed of hundreds of grassroots, interfaith Cooperation Circles (CCs) around the world. Many of the CCs in Pakistan joined to create a large celebration of peace and women. This brought together 26 people who were Muslim and Christian; male and female; adults and children. This is especially crucial in Pakistan, where the Christian minority struggles against acts of religiously-motivated violence, and women face oppressive discrimination. The participants talked to each other and shared their views about tolerance, peace, interfaith harmony, and equal rights for women.
URI Cooperation Circles (Cooperation Circles) Coordinators meeting with the CCs of Islamabad, Rawalpindi,
Azad Kashmir, and Peshawar held in Hayet –e-Nou CC office at Chatta Buhktawar Chak Shahzad Islamabad on 9th
November, 2017. Meeting chaired by Fr.James Channan OP Regional Coordinator URI Asia – Pakistan. In this
meeting URI Pakistan Regional staff Mr.Asher Nazir Executive Secretary URI Pakistan, Sr.Sabina Rifat Women
Wing Coordinator URI Pakistan, Ms.Asmara Daud Youth Trainer URI Pakistan, Ms.Neelam Nisari Program
Manager URI were also present with Fr.James Channan OP
On the 10th of April, 2017, URI Pakistan, in collaboration with Light of Hope Cooperation Circle, organized training with twenty-one participants, male and female, at Dilkusha Garden in Lahore.
The participants consisted of college and university students from Lahore, and youth from a church-run literacy program. The training began with prayer: Christian prayers by Pastor Francis, and Muslim prayers by Ch. Zubair Ahmad Farooq. Ms. Zara Pervaiz Channan, Coordinator of Light of Hope Cooperation Circle, welcomed all participants: Ms. Tasneem Saeed, URI youth trainer, Mr. Ch. Zubair Ahmad Farooq, Mr. Asher Nazir, Executive Secretary of URI Pakistan, and Mr. Faisal, Executive Secretary of Peace Center Lahore.
Interfaith Peace Mission Dr. Allama G.R Chisti welcomed to all honorable guest Dr. Fr. James Channan OP, URI Regional Coordinator Asia – Pakistan, Mr. Vittorio Cammarota Country Director /Representative of UNIC, Mr. Jean Francois Cautain Ambassador of European Union, Dr.Amina Hoti, Dr. Prof Altaf Hussian Zikria University Bahawalpur, Om Parkash Hindu Leader, Ranjit Singh Sikh Leader, Bishop Rev. Aftab Anwar Messianic Congregation Pakistan, Ch. Zubair Farooq Ahmad Coordinator Lahore MCC. Chief Guest was HE Mr. Nawaf Saraireh Ambassador of Jordan and this event presided by Honorable Sardar Muhammad Youdaf Fedral Minister for Religious & Interfaith harmony Affairs.
The URI Pakistan and Peace Center Lahore organized an Interfaith Christmas Celebration on the 18th of December at Peace Center in Lahore, Pakistan. Over 150 Christians, Muslims and Hindus participated. There were several leaders, coordinators, and members of URI in Pakistan, including: Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, Grand Imam of the Badshahi Mosque Lahore and former Global Trustee of URI; and Chaudhary Zubair Ahmed Farooq, Additional Prosecutor General of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and former Global Trustee of URI.
A very inspiring and spiritually uplifting Symphony of Peace Prayers 2016 was organized at Peace Center, Lahore on 15th of May, 2016. This program was jointly organized by the Peace Center and URI Pakistan in which over 150 Christians and Muslims participated. There was a great variety of people; children and adults of all ages from different walks of life such as: professors, lawyers, religious leaders, human rights activists, promoter ...
A very moving and spiritually uplifting Interfaith Prayer Service was organized at Peace Center, Lahore on 2nd of April, 2016 to commemorate the tragic incident in Lahore on 27th of March, Easter Sunday, in which 76 Christian and Muslim; children, women and men were killed and over 350 injured in a merciless and inhumane suicide bomb attack in a public park, Gulshan-e-Iqbal.
I am sure all of you are well aware that Pakistan has been going through a very difficult time for the past couple years as religiously motivated violence has become very common. Our mosques, churches, schools, army, police and many other public places have been bombed by the terrorists. The most recent such barbaric attack took place in two Church in Yuhannabad, Lahore in which 7 Muslims and 18 Christians lost their lives. The entire nation is in great shock.
The International Day of Peace was celebrated at Peace Center, Lahore on 28th of September, 2015 ( We postponed it from 21st September due to heavy rains). There were around 100 participants from Muslim, Christian, Hindu and Baha'i communities.
Candle light Prayers Ceremony was organized on May 2, 2015 by A Better Community for All Pakistan, Global Mission Awareness and Youth Peace Revolution on Global Love Day. Mr. Yuel Bhatti, Said program was held at ABC4ALL Office, Gulberg-3, Lahore ,evening. Welcome all the representative guests and said that we all are gathered hear for our sympathies and solidarity with Victims of Nepal where horrible Earthquake occurred and result of natural disaster in thousand peoples life killed and in same time in thousands are injured. Heavy economics crises. In last days in Peshawar with heavy rainy storm with result more that 50 lives suffered and killed.
A program was organized for women on 8th March 2015.Mr. Yuel Bhatti, Executive Secretary, URI Pakistan welcome the guests saying:
That today we all are happy to be a part of this program. We will rejoice and celebrate. Thank you for inviting us men too. On this day throughout the world women are celebrating their day. This program is being hosted by URI Pakistan and the Peace Centre. URI is currently working in 87 countries. The formation of the Peace Centre was the vision of Father James Channon OP. Mr. Yuel Bhatti mentioned that in Pakistan there are now 45 Cooperation Circles.
I would to share with you this very powerful expression of Christian-Muslim solidarity, prayer and unity to prayer to peace, raise voice for justice for the voiceless. Several of these photos of this report which is prepared by the Interfaith Relations depart of the Minhaj ul Quran have been published .
On 20th of September, 2014 a very meaning and significant ceremony was organized at Peace Center Lahore, Pakistan to celebrated the International Day of Peace. There were 100 guests. The Chief Guests of the ceremony were His Grace, Sebastian Shaw, Archbishop of Lahore and a very famous Muslim religious leader and promoter of interfaith dialogue Allama Hafiz Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, whereas, Prof. Kazy Javed presided over.
A colorful Program was arranged for women on 8th March 2014 at 5 Pm by URI women wing Pakistan .Women from all phase of life, Educated, illiterate, religious sisters, lawyers, rich and poorest, young and old working and domestic participated. There were about 150 women from Muslim, Christian and Hindu Faiths. Co- Sponsors were URI women Initiative, Women and Kids Education and Peace Center Lahore. The CCS participated in it were: ABC4ALL, Youth and Peace Revolution, Lahore M C C, Lahore CC Global Mission Awareness and.
Yes, "Road of Love" that is the name of my latest book. It is in Urdu with the tile "Muhabat Ka Rasta". It came out of the press yesterday on 11 April, 2013. This book contains my lectures, articles and interviews which I gave in USA, Germany, Italy, Vatican, Japan, Finland, Spain and Pakistan etc.. This book is mainly on Christian Muslim dialogue, with a lot of references of the teachings of the Catholic Church,
Symphony of Peace prayers 2013 was organized by the United Religions Initiative Pakistan and Peace Center, Lahore, on 19th May, 2013 at Peace Center, Lahore Pakistan. Muhammad Imran Tiwana, T.V. Producer was the Chief Guest. Ch. Zubair Ahmed Farooq, Global Trustee and Mr. Shafqat Jalal from Sialkot were the Guest of honor.
I would like to share this good news with you that Fr James Channan OP, Regional Coordinator, URI Pakistan has been awarded with "Doctor of Divinity" degree on 23rd of November, 2012. This Doctorate has been given by Pakistan Theological Seminary, its Head Quarter in Norway upon the recommendation of the Executive Board and Faculty of Pakistan Theological Seminary and International Gospel Mission. This degree is awarded in recognition of fr James Channan's apostolates in the field of evangelization, Christian Muslim and interfaith dialogue, ecumenism and peace building.
Ms. Yousufzai was shot and seriously wounded Oct. 9 by members of the Taliban as she was returning home from school in northwest Pakistan. The 14-year-old became a critic of the Taliban after the militant group took over the northwestern Swat Valley, where she lived. She has also spoken out about the importance of education for girls, something the Taliban has attempted to eradicate in regions it controls.
International Day of Peace 2012 was celebrated on 23rd September at Peace center, Lahore, Pakistan. The actual date of this day as declared by the United Nation as is 21st of September. However, we postponed due to the law and order situation in Pakistan. It was presided over by his Excellency Bishop Sebastian Shaw, OFM Apostolic Administrator. Archdiocese of Lahore, Mr. Akram Masih Gill, Minister of State for National Harmony , Government of Pakistan graced occasion as the Chief Guest.
I would like to share this news with great joy that the URI Pakistan, Peace Center Lahore and National Council for Interfaith Dialogue celebrated Symphony of Peace Prayers at Peace Center in Lahore on 20th of May, 2012. This day was chosen to express our solidarity and unity with Byakko Shinko Kai which has announced to observe this day. We felt very much united with you and other people at Fuji Sanctuary and 25 countries where this peace filled day was being observed. We could feels spiritually united longing for peace and harmony in the world.
On 21st of September which is declared an International Day of Peace by the United Nations, a befitting program was organized to celebrate this IDP at the Dominican Peace Center in Lahore. It was jointly organized by the two leading peace and interfaith dialogue organizations in Pakistan; namely United Religions Initiative (URI) and National Council for Interreligious Dialogue (NCID). There were around 250 peace lovers, religious scholars and members of the civil society, from the Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Sikh and BahaI religions participate in this program and to assure their commitment to a peaceful and harmonious Pakistan and the world.
In August 2011, 2,000 members of Muslim, Christian, Hindu and Sikh and Buddhist communities gathered at Mr. Asif Ali Zardari, the President of Pakistans House in Islamabad to celebrate national harmony. The ceremony included the reading of a speech by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, regarded as the Father of Pakistan, in which he said that all citizens should be equal and there should be no discrimination on the basis of religiona dream that is still not realized in Pakistan. The President also paid tribute to the Christian political leadership who worked with Ali Jinnah and voted in favor of Pakistan. There was also a beautiful performance by high school children singing national songs.
Fr Bruno Cardore OP, Master General of the Dominican Order created a history in Pakistan when he planted a Peace Pole at Peace Center in Lahore on 9th of May, 2011 during his official visitation to Pakistan. This beautiful ceremony took place in the presence of more than 40 Dominican friars, Sisters and lay people. Prayers for peace in our country and around the world were offered, peace hymns sung, messages and speeches delieverd. During the ceremony each person was holding a flag of one country of the world. It was a great manifestation of expressing our longing for peace in the world.
URI Regional Coordinator for Pakistan Father James Channan and several other URI-Pakistan leaders of different faiths, including Yuel Bhatti, Baghat Lall Khokhar and Malik Tahir, participated in a national conference on the veneration of religions organized by the Minhaj-ul-Quran International and Muslim-Christian Dialogue Forum. The meeting in Lahore brought together top religious and interfaith leaders from accross the country for a conversation about the recent Quran burning in Florida by self-styled pastor Terry Jones, and other acts of violence toward religious figures and symbols.
Its with great joy that I would like to share this good news with you that the Blessing and Inauguration ceremony of our Peace Center in Lahore took place on 28th of November, 2010. The ceremony started exactly on time at 9.00AM and at time all the Chief Guest, VVIP guests and other dignitaries had arrived at the venue of Peace Center at Pak Arab Lahore. Fr James Channan OP, Prior Vice Provincial, welcomed the Chief Guest, His Eminence, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Vatican and Guests of Honor; His Excellency, Adolfo, Tito Yllano, Apostolic Nuncio (Ambassador of the Vatican), His Grace, Most Rev. Lawrence John Saldahan, Archbishop of Lahore, Most Rev. Bishop Rufin Anthony, Bishop of Islamabad
Dominican Father James Channan, Prior Vice-Provincial of Ibn-e-Mariam, vice province of Pakistan speaks about the challenges in carrying out his mission in the country in the following interview. He gave the interview while attending his congregations general chapter in Rome recently.
There was an International Conference on Christian Muslim Dialogue in Villa la Collina, in Cadenabbia, Italy from October 1-42009. This conference was organized by the Konard-Adenauer-Stiftung, Germany in which a group of 19 Muslim and Christian scholars and activists from Africa and Asia participated in it. This conference was in continuation of the response to the letter of 138 Muslim scholars which they had written in October, 2007 on the theme of A Common word on the Love of God and Love of Neighbor in Islam and Christianity.
Peace Center is very important institution which is playing a significant role in spite of all the difficulties we are confronted with. A couple of Dominican Friars are active in Christian- Muslim dialogue and they are well known both nationally and internationally for promoting Christian-Muslim dialogue. It is top priority of the Dominican Order in the world and in Pakistan as well.
