Singapore to Host Conference on Interfaith Harmony

Singapore will be hosting the first international conference on social cohesion and interfaith harmony in June. The conference will bring together local and international thought leaders across academia, government, religious groups and the civic sector to share their experiences and ideas, collaborate and encourage people to rally their own communities to develop social cohesion.

President Halimah Yacob said the purpose is to bridge the divide and to build a more cohesive society. "It is also to ensure that we strengthen trust among the communities and this is important because we saw what happened in Christchurch, therefore we cannot overemphasize the importance of cohesion and harmony. This is always a work in progress, there will always be new threats, so it is an effort we must constantly invest in." Madam Halimah urged the citizens of Singapore to engage and understand other communities and faith cultures. She acknowledged the disinformation and false narratives about Islam being spread in the media and online by Islamophobes. Madam Halimah said its important thing to invest during times of peace and not to scramble when something happens, giving the example of Christchurch about the coming together of various races and religions.