The 2nd annual national interfaith conference aimed at strengthening peaceful coexistence and social cohesion between Christians and Muslims was held yesterday.
The event was hosted by the Catholic Church last year. This year however, it was under the auspices of Muslims at the National Mosque in Accra.
The annual event brought together over 100Â leaders from the Catholic Bishops Conference and other members of the Christian community as well as representatives of Muslim sects.
They agreed on working together as a body to help address prejudices that have the tendency to mar the peace enjoyed in the country.
Speaking at the conference under theme “Overcoming the Barriers of Religious Prejudices for Sustainable Peace and Development in Ghana,” the Minister of Chieftaincy and Culture, Stephen Asamoah Boateng lauded Christians especially the Catholic Church for putting together an interfaith dialogue that would not only draw the two together but also go a long way in finding solutions to prejudices that have long been a challenge among Muslims and Catholics in Ghana.
He mentioned that though Muslims and Christians have lived peacefully together over the years, relationship among them could be strengthened more as one people if long held prejudices against each other were addressed.
According to him, developed countries have developed as a result of the price they have paid for sustainable peace.
The National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu thanked all the religious groups especially the Catholic Bishops Conference  and said “this is a sign that God has bestowed his favour on us as practitioners of different religions who are able to come together to dialogue, which is not happening in other nations. A meeting like this is laudable because that is where we will be able to appreciate and identify our common grounds for positive action and live peacefully among ourselves”.
He prayed for the participants and also asked Ghanaians to be thankful to God for such favour of peace and never underestimate such a blessing from God.
Chairman for Inter-religious Dialogue of the Ghana Catholic Bishop Conference, Most Rev. Peter Paul Ankyier, in a remark, said the best way people could live together peacefully is through dialogue, especially in a multi religious society like Ghana.
According to him, people should embrace each other as a sign of unity saying “all of us are human beings, each of us enjoys grace as well as suffering which does not make us better than our brother or sister”.
Rev. Fr. Gabriel Kojovi Liashiedzi, Executive Secretary of the Department of Pastoral Ministry and Evangelisation of the Catholic Bishop Conference, appealed to participants not to allow internal and external influences to affect the culture and traditions that have played a key role in the social cohesion and tolerance of the country.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah