Media Release
Mangaluru, Nov 26: With the theme 'Give peace a Chance', various activities and competitions were conducted to promote harmony and celebrate unity in diversity. The Centre for Inter-Religious Harmony (CIRH), St Aloysius PU College, Managaluru aims to promote diversity and multiculturalism in our society. Students of different faiths come together to uphold the values of peace, unity, integrity, tolerance, and cooperation. (CIRH) encourages respect for all religions and to promote peace and harmony.
A visit to religious places and Peace walk was organised. The purpose of this initiative was to promote harmony, by learning to rise above religion, caste, creed, community, language, gender and respect everyone on the grounds of humanity. The places of worship visited were, St Anthony's Jacobite Syrian Cathedral, Gujjara Kere Gorai Dand, Shri Mangaldevi Temple and Mangaluru Gurudwara Sahib.
At St Anthony’s Jacobite Syrian Cathedral, Fr Eldos Jeorge congratulated the students and management for taking this initiative and briefed about the origin and history of Christianity and Syrian Christianity. He encouraged students to follow humanity as a mantra to find religious harmony. The members of the Shri Guru Singh Sabha Society thanked the management and students for visiting the place and beautifully explained the history of Sikhism and encouraged the students to realise the importance of this centre and be a messenger of peace in society. All the students and staff sat together and had lunch at Gurudwara as a symbol of oneness.
The members of the Centre also visited Government Higher Primary School, Bolar and St Ritas Kannada Medium Higher Primary School, Jeppu and spread the message of Peace through various activities. Religious Harmony is a beautiful concept that indicates that there is love and affection in every religion. With this objective in mind, a talk on Inter- religious harmony was organised. The guest speaker J Shriyan, editor of Issues and Concerns, English monthly addressed the students and highlighted the importance of truth and justice. He stated, “One thing all of us need to recognise is one truth. As Mahathma Gandhi said Truth is God. Any system where truth is not respected and justice doesnot prevail that has to collapse. Truth and justice are the only two factors that keep us alive and promote peace." Giving his insight on Universal brotherhood, he said, “We have a common desire, common need. Hence we can work together, that spirit has to prevail. We need to change from within." He concluded his talk by motivating students to cultivate inter religious friendship.
To promote harmony, the members of the Centre for Inter-Religious Harmony, read passages based on harmony from different religious scriptures in the morning assembly, during the harmony week. A melodious rendition, sung by the students of SAPUC, was recorded on this occasion. On this solemn occasion, principal Fr Clifford Sequeira SJ addressed the students and said “when we are connected to others in genuine love, peace, harmony and reconciliation – there is progress, there is growth, there is movement towards what we are called to be. Living in the world, let us be in tune with the qualitative presence of the spirit with us that calls for a universal brotherhood, peace and harmony.” He motivated students to cultivate an inclusive culture of tolerance and mutual respect irrespective of faith, caste, language or religion.
Various competitions such as Inter-religious Quiz, Painting, Photo Collage and Class Notice Board competitions were also conducted.
The winners are as follows:
Inter-Religious Quiz Competition
I Place – Elvis Franklyn Lobo I PUC 30 HESPsy/HsESPsy
Chirag J Sunil
II Place – Manish II PUC 11 PCMC
Melric Elroy D'Souza
III Place – Shazil Hameed Shareef II PUC 10 PCMC
Vihaan Udaya Kumar
Painting Competition
I PUC
I Place – Sathvik M 19 BSBA
II Place – Alan Jason Menezes 26 CEBA
III Place – Twisha K 7 PCBH
II PUC
I Place – M Sinchana Subhas 6 PCMB
II Place – Ashvitha Venisha D'Souza 28 CSBA
III Place – Arya Prasad 31 HESPsy/HsESPsy
Photo Collage Competition
I PUC
I Place – Swathi S 28 CSBA
II Place – Pranavi P Kottary 20 BSBA
III Place – Leona Dias 19 BSBA
II PUC
I Place – Shravan Kumar 30 HESP
II Place – Hithesh Kumar 18 BEBA
III Place – Gaana Gowshik 4 PCMB
Class Notice Board Competition
I PUC
I Place – Shainel D'Souza 18 BEBA
Neola Sequeira
Hrithvi
Harshitha
Shriya Shetty
II Place – Angela Manoj 28 CSBA
Aadhya G
Chintana
Daksha P Suvarna
Swathi S
III Place – Rakshan B Kotian 19 BSBA
Merrick Shervin
Thejas
Akash DK
Leann Nicole D'Souza
II PUC
I Place – Avani H Shetty 22 SEBA
Shihana
Tina Mariya D'Souza
Anvitha AS
Nishel Mathias
II Place – Aashka Kamath 31 HESPsy/ HsESPsy
Saanvi RK
Hridi Jain
Himani Anil
Arfa Ameen
III Place – Sheikh Mohammed Farhan 16 HEBA
Viola L D'Souza
Tania Tharesh Devadiga
Abdul Nashathath
Jeshal Deeksha Lobo