ADDIS ABABA — A new statement released by the Addis Ababa Office of the Bahá’í International Community (BIC) explores the vast capacities of Faith communities to foster harmony among diverse populations and guide meaningful social transformation across Africa.
The statement, titled “The Role of Religions and Faith-Based Actors in Advancing Spiritual and Material Prosperity on the Continent of Africa,” calls for deeper collaboration among faith communities to address pressing societal challenges facing the continent.
“The Bahá’í perspective sees the essential purpose of religion as fostering unity and advancing civilization both spiritually and materially,” said Shemona Moonilal, a representative of the Addis Ababa Office.
The statement highlights how religious actors are uniquely positioned to make meaningful contributions to goals shared by governments, civil society, and other groups, particularly given the prominence of faith in the lives of many people throughout Africa.
Solomon Belay, another representative of the Office, stated: “Interfaith dialogue needs to move beyond information exchange and relationship building toward unified action that demonstrates religion’s transformative power.”
The statement suggests that such unified action emerges when faith communities recognize that the challenges facing societies are not merely technical problems requiring technical solutions, but symptoms of deeper spiritual ailments that can only be addressed through the application of spiritual principles.
Rather than treating social issues in isolation, interfaith collaboration can tackle their underlying causes: the absence of justice, the prevalence of prejudice, and humanity’s failure to recognize its essential oneness.
Dr. Belay stated: “When diverse faith traditions come together not just to discuss their differences and commonalities but to apply their shared spiritual insights to concrete challenges, something profound occurs.
“Communities begin to see that sustainable prosperity—both material and spiritual,” he continued, “emerges from fostering qualities such as trustworthiness, generosity, and service to the common good—qualities that build lasting foundations for both strong bonds of friendship and collective progress.”
Mrs. Moonilal added: “When religious leaders take an active role in guiding and sustaining interfaith initiatives, and when these efforts speak with a unified voice, the possibilities are vast.”
The statement, however, warns against interfaith efforts becoming scattered or partisan. “Spiritual commitment is an essential element in interfaith groups becoming effective champions in healing divisions and spurring collective action,” stated Lyndah Mwangi, a collaborator of the Office.
She added: “The dialogue and cordial interactions that occur at the international and continental levels among various religious leaders need to happen at the grassroots level, within and between local faith communities.”
The statement reflects insights gathered from the Office’s participation in interfaith dialogue over the years and is part of the BIC’s ongoing contribution to conversations about how faith communities can work together to address challenges while drawing on their vast spiritual resources.
