Interfaith Harmony Week was commemorated at the Government Prayer House at Palisi on Tuesday evening with the theme 'building bridges across boundaries'.

Interfaith Harmony Week is an annual event observed during the first week of February every year and was proclaimed by the General Assembly in 2010.

In its resolution the General Assembly emphasised the need for mutual understanding and interreligious dialogue which constitute important dimensions of a culture of peace and established World Interfaith Harmony Week as a way to promote harmony between all people regardless of their faith.

Universal Peace Federation had hosted the ceremony with the Director for Universal Peace Federation (Samoa and American Samoa), Seti Suafa telling Samoa Observer in a phone interview on Tuesday that all their chapters around the world marked the Interfaith Harmony Week on Tuesday night.

Universal Peace Federation is an international and interreligious network of individuals and organisations and includes representatives from religion, government, civil society, and the private sector dedicated to achieving world peace.

Mr. Suafa emphasised the theme of overcoming boundaries and bridging the boundaries and pointed out on the banner that there were logos of different faiths.

"A lot of these faiths are our partners in interreligious work in different nations and different regions," he said.

Members of the Gaualofa Ministry, Molioo Pio and Rev. Misiperetiso Ivara, and members of Youth and Students for Peace (Y.S.P) Samoa attended the event.

Mr. Suafa had also extended the invitation to various religions across Samoa such as the Methodist, Congregational Christian Church of Samoa, Bahai and the Catholic Church.

He said it is very important to have dialogue and we have discussions between the faiths and to give respect to one another.

"Well I think as our theme presents, you know, bridging boundaries is very important especially in this day and age and the situation with [COVID-19], currently in the world there are so many religious centered conflict, many issues," he added. "It's not easy but it is very important."