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Dear Hindu friends,
On behalf of the World Council of Churches, I am glad to send greetings to you as you celebrate the cherished festival of Diwali.
In some parts of the world, at this season of the year, nights are getting longer, and even days seem to get darker, so the symbol of light that is at the heart of the message of Diwali speaks with particular power and intensity.
As I greet you on this joyful event, the World Council of Churches (WCC) continues preparations for its 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany in 2022. The assembly is the time when WCC member churches harvest the fruits of their work together over the previous years and set out the vision for the years to come. Since 2013, they have been calling each other to a “Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace” as a service to peace, reconciliation and unity in the world.
As we in the WCC continue on this pilgrimage, we look forward to continuing to work with people of other faiths to respond to the needs of our common humanity.
As you celebrate Diwali amidst the various forms of social unrest in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, political tensions in many regions, and the climate emergency, which are are threatening the sustainability of our life, our earth, and our human community, Diwali’s longing to move from darkness to light is particularly meaningful.
So, I wish you a happy celebration. I also want to express my sincere hope that during the coming year, the World Council of Churches and people of the Hindu faith can work together to bring the light of justice and peace where the darkness of injustice and violence prevails.
With best wishes,
Rev. Prof. Dr. Ioan Sauca
Acting General Secretary
World Council of Churches
Geneva, November 3, 2021
General Secretariat
