Sikh community holds peace initiative in S Africa

More than 300 religious and community leaders got together for the Africa Religious Peace Academy event, which was organised by the Sikh community, to promote inter-faith harmony and foster peace across the continent.

The event was held at Sandton on Sunday evening with the theme “Bridging Beliefs: Advancing Peace Through Interfaith Harmony in Africa”.

Organised jointly by the Gurdwara Sahib, Johannesburg, the Sikh Council of Africa, Heavenly Culture World Peace Restoration of Light (HWPL), and Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha, the event brought together Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and African Traditional Religion leaders.

Harbinder Singh Sethi, founder of Johannesburg’s only gurdwara, said all religions, while having different rituals, had the same essence. “We are all children of the Divine, called to serve, uplift and protect one another,” Sethi said.