Interfaith gathering at the Guru Nanak Darbar celebrating the Farewell of HE Bishop Paul Hinder and Welcoming HE Paolo Martinelli as the Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia. Dignitaries who attended were His Excellency Mr. Sunjay Sudhir, Ambassador, Indian Embassy Abu Dhabi; His Excellency Major General Ahmed Al Mansoori, General Secretary of the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Award for Tolerance; Mr. Taleb Mohamed Al Dhanhani, Director of licensing, monitoring and inspection, CDA Dubai and around 100 people from the neighbouring churches, the Hindu temple and the Sikh Community
Guru Nanak Darbar Gurudwara Dubai organised an interfaith gathering to celebrate the farewell of His Excellency Bishop Paul Hinder and welcome of His Excellency Bishop Paolo Martinelli as the Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia.
Dignitaries who attended were His Excellency Mr. Sunjay Sudhir, Ambassador, Indian Embassy Abu Dhabi; His Excellency Major General Ahmed Al Mansoori, General Secretary of the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Award for Tolerance; Mr. Taleb Mohamed Al Dhanhani, Director of licensing, monitoring and inspection, CDA Dubai and around 100 people from the neighbouring churches, the Hindu temple and the Sikh Community.
“Today’s event aims to foster harmonious co-existence of different faiths, living in the UAE, said Dr. Surender Singh Kandhari, Chairman of Guru Nanak Darbar Gurudwara. “Our gathering here today is a superb showcase of how we all value the principles of moderation, inclusion and generosity in the Middle East”.
He also praised the Community Development Authority (CDA) Dubai and Institute of Tolerance (IIT) Dubai for their guidance and unstinting support towards the smooth functioning of the Gurudwara.
HE Mr. Sunjay Sudhir Indian Ambassador, praised the UAE Government and the Guru Nanak Darbar for promoting peace and harmony by organising such interfaith activities.
His Excellency Bishop Paul Hinder and expressed his gratitude for the wonderful arrangement done at the Gurudwara and also thanked the UAE Government for all the support during his 18 years in the region.
His Excellency Bishop Paolo Martinelli thanked everyone for the whole-hearted welcome and expressed his respect for the UAE rulers and the authorities for promoting the spirit of peaceful coexistence and harmony in the country.
“Religious leaders are partners in building a better human family. I stand with people of all faiths and religions in this country as a friend and a brother. All religions should work together for the common good and for the promotion of goodwill”, he said.
Dr. Bubbles Kandhari, Vice Chairperson of Guru Nanak Darbar Gurudwara quoted, “What we have now at this very moment can actually be an example of pluralism where we have our brothers and sisters from different faiths under one roof to mark this significant occasion of interfaith gathering”.
She also highlighted that “Interfaith leadership is the call of the day. If all the religious leaders get together to educate their faithful to understand and respect each other, this will bring about interfaith harmony and peaceful coexistence”.
Gurudwara continues to have such significant interfaith gatherings in the form of Interfaith Iftar every year since 2012 during the holy month of Ramadan and various other activities inviting people from different faiths and religions following the principle of Guru Nanak Devji of oneness of all human beings and the important role of the community kitchen called the “Guru Ka Langar” which brings people together to share a meal irrespective of caste, creed or religion.
