Tony Blair visits Toronto to encourage multi-faith initiatives
TORONTO, ON—There is a growing understanding among people of different faiths that working together is key to solving pressing global problems, says former British prime minister Tony Blair.
Blair was in Toronto this November to promote the work of the Tony Blair Foundation's Faith Act Fellows. The multi-faith global movement aims to inspire and mobilize people of faith to take action towards meeting the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals, in particular those related to maternal health and combating malaria.
"Across the world there are four billion people of faith," said Blair. "The challenge is to use their reach, influence, inspiration and power for good, instead of religion being a cause of division."
There are 34 Faith Act Fellows spread across North America, the UK, India and Sierra Leone. Six are based in Toronto. Blair told an audience at the University of Toronto that Canada was setting an example for other parts of the world in how to respect and integrate those of divergent faiths.
Lorne Anderson, a Christian, works in partnership with Sumayya Daghar, who is Muslim, at a Jewish humanitarian and relief committee called Ve'ahatva.
"We hope to prove to ourselves, our communities, and the global community, that faith really is a force for good," says Anderson. "As a Christian, I'm inspired by my faith in Christ, and He is someone who acted for the good of all. He didn't discriminate between people whom He spent time with and whom He served."
Anderson and Daghar will be holding Gifts4Good: The Toronto Interfaith Gift Exchange on December 11 at Dundas Square. The afternoon event will include activities for children, information on various community-based initiatives, refreshments and an Urban Holiday Prayer Wall. Other upcoming Faith Fellows events include an art exhibit, dance-a-thon and bake sale.
Tony Blair Foundation's international religious advisory council includes Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church, David Coffey, president of Baptist World Alliance and Joel Edwards, former general director of the Evangelical Alliance.
Blair said that while there have been terrible things done in the name of religion, he finds faith has a transformative ability to inspire people to "extraordinary acts of sacrifice" and lift people above the "human capacity for selfishness, and unpleasantness, and trying to get one up on other people."
When asked what he would say to those Christians concerned about engaging in interfaith initiatives, Blair stated, "I am a Christian, and I am going to stay a Christian . . . My experience is you can get a deeper and better understanding of your own faith."
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