A bird's eye view on the current affairs of the world, one may regrettably notice a deterioration of the general situation that impacts almost all walks of life. The intriguing question that arises is that this rampant stage of the prevailing dire situation at the global level has not yet been met by serious measures that are urgently needed to remedy the situation or at least curtail the steady downfall.

Amidst this regrettable situation, two anniversaries have been marked which once thoroughly observed, they would provide the panacea for the ailing world affairs. These two anniversaries are merely the World Interfaith Harmony Week and the International Day of Human Fraternity. 

The World Interfaith Harmony Week  was announced  by the United Nations in an unprecedented way, and in response to the Royal desire of His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al-Hussein while being marked every year on the first week of February. This week recognizes the imperative need for dialogue among different faiths and religions so as to enhance mutual understanding, harmony, and cooperation among people who follow their own religious traditions or convictions.

When marking this week, it is important to delve into its profound and impressive significance. This week asserts that people who follow different faiths should realize the importance of effecting harmony, eliminating tensions based of religious affairs, and spreading peace based on respect for others. It is really saddening to realize that violence based on religious persecution is still prevalent in numerous countries in the world with the year 2024 marking the worst waves of religious persecution. Thus, observing the message conveyed during the World Interfaith Harmony Week will definitely help eliminate violence based on faith and propel people into recognizing the importance of interfaith harmony which brushes aside  violence and entrenches harmony.

On the other hand, the Document of Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together, signed by His Holiness Pope Francis and Sheikh of Al-Azhar His Eminence Imam Ahmed Al-Tayyib during their visit to Abu Dhabi on February 4, 2019, affirms “the importance of awakening religious awareness and the need to revive this awareness in the hearts of new generations through sound education and an adherence to moral values and upright religious teachings. In this way we can confront tendencies that are individualistic, selfish, conflicting, and also address radicalism and blind extremism in all its forms and expressions.”

Once thoroughly followed, these two documents--which call for attaining interfaith harmony and human fraternity--would replace hatred with love and persecution with harmony.

The Catholic Center for Studies and Media, whose message is to use media as a tool to serve humanity and promote fraternity among components of societies, has annually been holding seminars that mark these two noble anniversaries. On Thursday, February 13, 2025, the Catholic Center for Studies and Media (CCSM) in Jordan, in partnership with Caritas Jordan, marked the 15th anniversary of the World Interfaith Harmony Week and the 5th anniversary of the International Day of Human Fraternity by holding a seminar that highly valued the efforts undertaken by His Majesty King Abdullah II in making peace whose outcome is harmony based on justice, legitimate rights, and noble human values.

In his opening address, Fr. Dr. Rif'at Bader, director of the Catholic Center for Studies and Media, referred to "the good initiatives that were launched during the reign and under the patronage of His Majesty the King including the Amman Message, the Common Word Initiative, and the World Interfaith Harmony Week which was adopted by the United Nations, and  the World Conference on Arab Christian Identity, whereby all of which are Hashemite Jordanian initiatives that entrenched Jordan as a model of brotherhood, as well as underlined its global role and mission in promoting the values ​​of harmony and peace."

It is of prime importance to steer media towards cementing harmony and human fraternity, for it is regrettable that media sometime undermines fraternity, human dignity, and harmony among people. Media must ultimately serve truth, goodness, and morality, and thus contribute to installing harmony and brotherhood among human beings with respect for their beliefs.

The Catholic Center for Studies and Media, while viewing religion as a factor that calls for love and peace, has strived all the time with its perspicacious administration all the time to serve as a tool that spreads the message of love leading to interfaith harmony and common living.