South Africa: The Speaker of KZN Legislature NN Boyce, together with the Chair of Committees, Hlengiwe Mavimbela, Zulu, Alfred Duma Mayor Cllr Zama Sibisi, UThukela District Cooperate Services Portfolio Committee Chairperson Cllr F Zuma and various departments, hosted a two-day Hybrid Interfaith Symposium.
The event was held under the theme: “Developing Boys to be Leaders in the Fight against Gender-Based Violence for the Restoration of Women’s Dignity”. It took place at the Indoor Sports Centre in Ladysmith.
The congregation of people of different faith traditions gathered to solicit ideas and challenges from leaders in the sector to communicate on ways to fight against gender-based violence and restoration of women’s dignity through religion and build a better society.
The aim of the Interfaith Symposium is to create a platform for religious leaders to raise issues that affect the communities and char a way forward in working together to improve the lives of the people of our province and play a critical role in installing good values in society.
Among the stakeholders invited to attend the event were representatives from the all-district interfaith sector, Arts and Traditional Affairs, Hindu Federation, Rastafarian Community, Muslim Judiciary Council, Indigenous Churches Of South Africa and National Interfaith Council.
Delivering the message of support, Cllr Zuma pleaded with all churches that were present to pray for the unemployment of young people, which continued to ravage indigent communities. Cllr Zuma also applauded faith-based organizations for playing a crucial role in addressing gender-based violence and providing spiritual services and psycho-social support to the victims of GBV.
Delivering her keynote address, Legislature Speaker said, “We are humbled and honoured to host leaders of different faith denominations who accepted our invitation to grace this symposium with their blissful and blessed presence. As a government, we acknowledge the diversity of religions because it teaches us to serve all people equally, with love – without fear, favour or prejudice – irrespective of the diverse political parties that these people belong to.”
“It goes without saying that the religious sector is one of the key pillars of our drive to instil the culture of Ubuntu which has always been the central plinth of our African communal values. Therefore, we look to you to continue to preach the values of respect, obedience and respect for the rule of law”, concluded Ms Boyce.
