Fostering Understanding and Respect: The Inter-religious Dialogue at Al-Mustafa Islamic College Kyengera

The Inter-religious Dialogue at Al-Mustafa Islamic College Kyengera was a groundbreaking event that brought together individuals from diverse religious backgrounds to promote peace, understanding, and coexistence. The dialogue was opened by a visiting Iranian Qari, who recited Quranic verses in a professional and captivating manner, setting the tone for a day of meaningful discussions.

Organized by Al-Mustafa Islamic College Kyengera, with support from the Cultural Consulate of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the event was attended by a wide range of participants, including members of the Interreligious Council of Uganda, the visiting Iranian delegation, academicians, religious leaders, researchers, and media partners.

The theme of the dialogue, “Peace and Coexistence with the Different Other,” was echoed throughout the event, as speakers emphasized the importance of promoting understanding, respect, and cooperation among individuals and groups from different religious traditions.

Dr. Rouhollah Dehghani, the principal of Al-Mustafa Islamic College, welcomed participants and expressed his gratitude to the Interreligious Council of Uganda and the Cultural Consulate of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran for sponsoring the event. He also remembered the late Iranian president for initiating the Interreligious Dialogue last year for peaceful coexistence among religious leaders.

H.E. Mr. Majid Saffar, the Iranian Ambassador to Uganda, appreciated the visiting Iranian delegation to Uganda and appreciated the warm cooperation of the Interreligious Council of Uganda. He called upon participants to recognize the contributions of Muslim nations in the ongoing surgency in the Middle East and condemn oppressors for their continuous barbaric actions.

The head of Hajj office in Iran, Ayatollah Seyyed Abdulfattah Navvab, emphasized the prophetic tradition of fighting vices by talking about them, removing them by hands among others. He emphasized that it’s in the Islamic traditions to keep the tongues and hands from harming others. The holy Quran emphasizes speaking to people in the best way using wisdom in the formation of civilized communities.

Bishop Andrew Lugoloobi, IRCU Board Member, delivered the keynote address, noting that all faiths are affected by wars, hunger, diseases, poverty, and it’s a mission to all faith leaders to come together and fight those vices in the society. He congratulated the Cultural Consulate of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran for supporting interreligious dialogue in Uganda.

Professor Umar Ahmad Kasule, deputy vice chancellor of Muteesa I Royal University, spoke about religious tolerance and conflicts, justice and environmental sustainability, peace building in reducing wars and conflicts, and the opportunities of interfaith dialogue. He noted that young people have exposed the Zionist regime through social media networks, where students in Europe have understood the hypocrisy created by their governments and raised up against the deception through digital platforms that should be used to share interreligious messages.

Dr. Samuel Okok, lecturer from the department of philosophy at Makerere University, spoke about world cultural diversity that shapes our divergent communities on peace, harmony, and security.

Dr. Mansur MirAhmadi, deputy representative of the head of Hajj office in the Islamic Republic of Iran, spoke about Islamophobia, which is driven by imperialists to paint Islam with a bad image in front of others by creating and funding radical groups to bring violence and spread misinformation, misinterpretations, and controversies.

Counsel Umar Nyanzi, President Muslim Centre for Justice and Law, spoke about the Ugandan constitution on religious freedom and expression.

Mr. Obbo Ben spoke about the role of education in fostering attitudes of acceptance, respect, and belief in the 21st century. He also spoke about dogma and indoctrination by Western imperialists who colonized Africa and the rest of the world through religions.

Sheikh Umar Mubiru, lecturer at Al-Mustafa Islamic College, spoke about interreligious dialogue and discourse of peace in the society. Interfaith dialogue refers to the constructive and respectful engagement between individuals and groups from different religious traditions. Its primary goal is to foster understanding, respect, and cooperation among various faiths, thereby promoting peace and social harmony.

The dialogue also featured discussions on the role of media in promoting interreligious understanding, the importance of education in fostering attitudes of acceptance and respect, and the need for continued dialogue and cooperation among individuals and groups from different religious traditions.

Brother Andrew Barigye, a media personality and representative of the Buddhist community, spoke about the role of media in interreligious dialogue. He noted that most people enjoy bad news more than positive vibes that could foster sanity in the society, and therefore, some media agencies have resorted to building content that consumers enjoy most, unfortunately, without looking at the damages and its impact on communities.

Mr. Isabirye Pius from Lwengo Catholic Church spoke about building peaceful communities amidst religious differences. He informed participants that we have to pay close attention to the people who influence our communities, who are parents, religious leaders, teachers, opinion leaders, among others.