In Ludhiana: Walk for interfaith harmony flagged off, 500 take part

The walk started from Old Christ Church at Fountain Chowk.

The participants visited Shree Durga Mata Mandir near Jagraon Bridge, Jama Masjid Field Ganj before the walk culminated at Gurdwara Dukhnivaran Sahib Field Ganj.

“As a police officer and a public servant we value and stand for the service of humanity and the general public, with respect for all the religions,” said the police commissioner.

This is the need of the hour and it’s a bold initiative taken by Team 1699 and CityNeeds, he added.

Participants carried placards and flags of their respective religions, walked together in groups making a unique caravan promoting interfaith harmony.

“All parents should encourage their children from an early age to visit places of worship of other religions so that they grow up in harmony with respect for all faiths and we get more mature citizens,” said Md Usmaan Ludhianvi (Shahi Imam, Jama Masjid Ludhiana) after seeing the excitement amongst students. The two-week-long celebrations of World Interfaith Harmony Week will conclude on February 16 at SCD Government College for Boys with an interfaith meal and an interfaith symposium that will be attended by School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains.

Various educational institutions of Ludhiana, including schools and colleges, have appreciated this initiative and nominated students in this walk, said Jasdev Singh Sekhon, Zonal Commissioner, Municipal Corporation.

Interfaith week is celebrated globally by the United Nations to improve religious brotherhood and the walk is being carried out in the city to send the message across the communities.

Several NGOs of Ludhiana participated in the walk to support the cause, said Maneet Dewan from CityNeeds.

Gursahib Singh, the founder of Team 1699, and the other founding members – Davinder Singh, Mohinder Singh, Heman Goyal and Shivam Arora – were delighted with the positive response.