Dewali, birth anniversary of Guru Nanak celebrated

LAHORE (APP): To express solidarity with the other communities, Cosmopolitan Club of Lahore celebrated Diwali and Guru Nanak Devji’s 553rd birth anniversary, with the collaboration of Samaj Sewa Foundation, Peace and Justice Network and Allahwale Trust at Bagh-e-Jinnah on Sunday.
Representatives of Human Rights and Minorities Affairs (HR&MA) Department, youths practising different faiths, religious figures and representatives of welfare organisations attended the ceremony. Samaj Seva Foundation Joint Secretary Anika Karan welcomed all the guests.
Addressing the ceremony, HR&MA Deputy Director Muhammad Yusuf said participation of the youth belonging to all religions in such an event undoubtedly helps promote the culture of interfaith harmony, adding that the platform encourages followers of different religions to celebrate their religious days with full zeal and enthusiasm.
He said that such events would ensure promotion of peace and tolerance in society.
Peter Jacob, the executive director of Centre for Social Justice, while appreciating the strong involvement of the youth, emphasised importance of the youth for the best future of the country.
Member of Board of Directors of Auqaf Department and Director of Interfaith Relations of Minhaj Al-Quran International Sohail Ahmed Raza, while emphasising religious harmony, said: “We all have to fight against extremist thinking; we need to play our role in establishing a peaceful society.”
At the end of the ceremony, Samaj Seva Foundation Chairman Lala Chaman Lal hoped that the such events to promote inter-religion harmony would be organised in future also, saying that he would continue his efforts to bring people from marginalised communities into the mainstream through the platform of Samaj Seva.
The birthday cake of Baba Guru Nanak Devji was also cut along with the lighting of lamps.