In the spirit of the recent Daily Nation article, “Interfaith Dialogue Key to Regional Stability” (22 May 2026), it is important to recognise that interfaith dialogue remains a vital path toward peace, unity, and social harmony in our societies. The article highlighted the important role religious leaders play as trusted voices within communities where faith continues to shape everyday life. Through dialogue and collaboration, religious communities can help build understanding, heal divisions, and promote peaceful coexistence.
It is within this same spirit that Rev. Fr. Norbert Litoing, SJ, Director of the Centre for Interfaith Studies in Africa (CISA) at Hekima University College, recently received donations of food hampers from the OMERIYE Foundation and its Muslim partners for distribution to less privileged families during the celebration of Eid-ul-Adha.
This generous gesture reflects the many shared values central to both Islam and Christianity: compassion, charity, solidarity with the poor, and respect for human dignity. Eid-ul-Adha is not only a celebration of sacrifice and faith in Islam, but also an occasion marked by generosity, remembrance of the needy, and the spirit of sharing. In a similar way, Christian life calls believers to become “men and women for others,” living lives shaped by love, justice, and compassion — values deeply rooted in Jesuit spirituality.
The collaboration between the OMERIYE Foundation and the Centre for Interfaith Studies in Africa demonstrates that interreligious dialogue is not merely theoretical or academic. It also becomes practical and transformative when expressed through concrete acts of care and social responsibility. Such initiatives embody the mission of the Centre, which seeks to foster mutual understanding, peaceful coexistence, and collaboration among people of different faith traditions.
At a time when societies continue to experience divisions shaped by politics, ethnicity, and religion, gestures such as these become important signs of hope. They remind us that authentic dialogue is built not only through conversation, but also through shared concern for vulnerable communities and a collective commitment to the common good.
Through partnerships such as these, Hekima University College continues to contribute meaningfully to the promotion of peace, justice, and interreligious harmony in Kenya and beyond.
By Geoffrey Obatsa – Admin Assistant | Jesuit Historical Institute in Africa (JHIA)
