Media Release: 17th Sep 2016
New Zealand Faith Leaders Join Forces for Peace
Faith leaders from several mainstream religions joined hands today to find ways to achieve lasting peace. The meeting in
Auckland was arranged by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community New Zealand and was entitled, Justice: The Foundation for
Lasting Peace.
“A recent survey has ranked New Zealand as the fourth most peaceful country to live in. What sets us apart though is
that we are also one of the most etnically diverse socities in the western world”, says Dame Susan Devoy, the chief
guest for the event. “It is encouraging to see that leaders of so many different faiths have come together for one
purpose - of achieving peace through their beliefs. The challenge for us as a society going forward though is to take
the message originating in this room to the New Zealand population at large”.
Leaders representing the Hindu, Sikh, Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, and Islamic faiths all highlighted how religion can
play a positive role in promoting peaceful coexistance, and increasing cohesion in the society. The speakers and guests
at the event acknowledged and thanked the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community for arranging the meeting, and for providing a
platform for a positive discussion to take place.
“Ahmadiyya Muslim Community worldwide continues to engage all faith groups to find means to achieve global peace. The
conference today was a small step on our long journey towards that goal. The commitment shown by our fellow faith
leaders today was heart warming ” said Acting President for the Ahmadiyya Community, Mr Yunus Hanif. He thanked the
religious leaders and Dame Susan Devoy for helping make the event a success. The meeting in the Three Kings suburb of
Auckland was attended by over 160 guests.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is a dynamic, fast-growing international revival movement within Islam. Founded in 1889
by Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835-1908) in Punjab, India, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community spans over 206 countries with
membership exceeding tens of millions. Its motto of ‘Love for all and hatred for none’ is evidenced through the peaceful
actions of its millions of followers. The New Zealand branch of this community was established in 1987 and has just over
400 members.
ENDS