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New citizens to fly kites of harmony
By Jennani Durai
NEW citizens will be the focus of the Inter-Religious Organisation's (IRO) 62nd anniversary celebrations next week.
The organisation, made up of 10 religious groups, will stage a kite-flying event and a water-themed exhibition at Marina Barrage and has asked its members to invite new citizens.
The celebrations, the largest single-day event for the group, will take place on March 20 - two days after the actual anniversary. About 3,000 people are expected to attend the event, which will include activities such as taiji and brisk-walking.
Leaders from the IRO's 10 religious groups - Buddhism, Taoism, Jainism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Zoroastrianism and the Baha'i faith - will fly a kite bearing the symbol of another religion.
Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, the guest of honour, will help fly a 24 sq m kite bearing the Singapore map, the IRO logo and the words 'religious harmony'.
Sister Theresa Seow, honorary secretary of the IRO, said the group wanted to do something different this year, particularly with concerns expressed about the integration of new citizens.
'All our religious communities have new citizens, and we wanted to do something fun for them to experience the inter-religious harmony in Singapore,' she said, adding that flying kites together is a way to 'express harmony and friendship'.
The Faith And Water exhibition will feature thoughts and writings on the link between the two from different religious perspectives. It is inspired by World Water Day on March 22.
Water has a central place in the practices and beliefs of all the religions, said Sister Seow. She cited the example of baptism by water in Christianity.
Mr Harbans Singh, a representative of Sikhism in the IRO, said water is important in his religion 'because by its nature, it always flows down, and we believe humility is an important value'.
Mr Ameerali Abdeali, a representative of Islam, said: 'We hope the occasion provides opportunities for new immigrants to see how much friendship exists between religions.'
By Jennani Durai
NEW citizens will be the focus of the Inter-Religious Organisation's (IRO) 62nd anniversary celebrations next week.
The organisation, made up of 10 religious groups, will stage a kite-flying event and a water-themed exhibition at Marina Barrage and has asked its members to invite new citizens.
The celebrations, the largest single-day event for the group, will take place on March 20 - two days after the actual anniversary. About 3,000 people are expected to attend the event, which will include activities such as taiji and brisk-walking.
Leaders from the IRO's 10 religious groups - Buddhism, Taoism, Jainism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Zoroastrianism and the Baha'i faith - will fly a kite bearing the symbol of another religion.
Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, the guest of honour, will help fly a 24 sq m kite bearing the Singapore map, the IRO logo and the words 'religious harmony'.
Sister Theresa Seow, honorary secretary of the IRO, said the group wanted to do something different this year, particularly with concerns expressed about the integration of new citizens.
'All our religious communities have new citizens, and we wanted to do something fun for them to experience the inter-religious harmony in Singapore,' she said, adding that flying kites together is a way to 'express harmony and friendship'.
The Faith And Water exhibition will feature thoughts and writings on the link between the two from different religious perspectives. It is inspired by World Water Day on March 22.
Water has a central place in the practices and beliefs of all the religions, said Sister Seow. She cited the example of baptism by water in Christianity.
Mr Harbans Singh, a representative of Sikhism in the IRO, said water is important in his religion 'because by its nature, it always flows down, and we believe humility is an important value'.
Mr Ameerali Abdeali, a representative of Islam, said: 'We hope the occasion provides opportunities for new immigrants to see how much friendship exists between religions.'
