A lay Catholic-led NGO in Pakistan organized a three-day workshop from July 18–20 to promote interreligious dialogue through music, bringing together artists and participants from diverse religious communities.
In collaboration with the European Union, the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) hosted the Creativity Workshop at the Christian Study Centre (CSC) in Rawalpindi, located in the northwestern Punjab province.
The CSJ, founded and directed by Peter Jacob, a prominent Catholic human rights advocate, researcher, and freelance journalist seeks to promote interreligious harmony in Pakistan.
The workshop culminated on July 20 with a vibrant musical ceremony featuring devotional performances from various faith traditions. Participating communities shared their sacred music, including Christian hymns, Hindu Bhajans, Sikh Kirtan, Kalasha folk expressions, and Muslim devotional songs.
Solo performances included notable artists such as Karishma, Sameer Robin, Emmanuel Shafqat, and acclaimed Sufi singer Arieb Azhar, each representing a unique spiritual and musical heritage.
Thanking the attendees, Jacob expressed hope that such artistic initiatives would foster mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence among Pakistan’s diverse communities.
“Programs like this,” he said, “help us work toward our common goals of peaceful coexistence with mutual understanding. Promoting cultural dialogue can also help eliminate extremism and violence.”
The workshop was part of a broader project titled "Together for Tolerance: Strengthening Minority Rights and Inclusion,"which aims to support peacebuilding through artistic and culturally rooted expressions.
Pakistan is a Muslim-majority country, with more than 96% of the population identifying as Muslim. However, religious minorities such as Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Ahmadis, Parsis, Baha'is, and the Kalasha community continue to contribute richly to the country’s cultural and spiritual life.
Participants of the event engaged in discussions, musical exchanges, and workshops that celebrated pluralism and promoted interfaith solidarity.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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