On 2 October 2023, the Secunderabad chapter of Lajna Imaillah, the Women’s Auxiliary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, organised an Interfaith Symposium with the theme ‘Empowering Women towards Peace’. Chaired by my humble self, the event aimed to foster unity and collaboration among participants from diverse religious backgrounds.

Before the beginning of the program, the National Anthem was played. The formal session commenced with the recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by the English translation. A documentary introducing the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and Lajna Imaillah was displayed, highlighting the purpose of organising such events.

The program included a number of speeches from distinguished guests, among whom were Mrs Yaddanapudi Syamala, the Dean of Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University and Telugu teacher to the Governor of the state, Vanita Ben, a representative from the Brahma Kumaris, Dr Bhupinder Kaur from the Sikh Community, and Dr Sushma Narkhede, a Homeopathy practitioner.

Mubaraka Shameem Sahiba, the Secretary for Khidmat-e-Khalq (Service to Mankind) at Lajna Imaillah Secunderabad, delivered a speech in Urdu, shedding light on Islamic teachings regarding women’s rights. She compared the status of women before the advent of Islam and highlighted the revolutionary steps Islam took to establish women’s rights.

Sakina Alladin Sahiba, the Secretary Outreach for Lajna Imaillah Secunderabad, delivered a Telugu speech on religious tolerance in Islam. She emphasised the Islamic teaching of non-compulsion in matters of religion and explained how Islam fosters respect for all religious founders and scriptures.

As the chairperson of the event, my humble self delivered the presidential address and expressed gratitude to all the guests for accepting our invitation. The program concluded with silent prayers.

Following the formal session, dinner was served to all attendees, providing them with an opportunity to engage in conversations filled with love and a sense of sisterhood. Guests were presented with giveaway bags that included a copy of the Holy Quran, the book World Crisis and the Pathway to Peace, along with other informative literature about the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

The event exemplified the spirit of unity and harmony among people from various faiths and backgrounds, promoting the message of peace and tolerance.