By UPF Zambia
In collaboration with the International Association for Peace and Development (IAPD), we hosted a Prayer Breakfast on July 22, 2025, at Cozy Lodge. Around seventy (70) participants representing various faiths—including Christianity, Islam, Baháʼí Faith, and Hinduism—attended the event.
The theme was “Healing the Nation Through Inter-Religious Unity.” The program commenced with the national anthem, followed by an opening prayer led by Apostle Kenny Zulu from Anointed Gospel Ministries Church. The Master of Ceremonies was Rev. Andrico Tshaba. The President of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU) Zambia welcomed the diverse gathering of faith leaders.
The purpose of this gathering was to unite religious leaders in prayer, reflection, and solidarity following the passing of Zambia’s Sixth Republican President, His Excellency Edgar Chagwa Lungu, on June 5, 2025, in Johannesburg, South Africa. The event aimed to reaffirm the moral responsibility of faith communities to promote peace, love, and unity amid national grief and uncertainty.
In her opening remarks, Mrs. Judith Mwila, Deputy Secretary-General of IAPD, underscored the significance of fostering unity among different religious groups.
The Youth Missionaries Choir inspired attendees with uplifting worship songs, calling for God’s grace, mercy, and interfaith harmony that transcends skin color, language, nationality, and other differences.
Subsequently, Bishop Dr. David Musonda, Chairman of IAPD Zambia, read a statement on behalf of five major religious communities: Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, and Baháʼís. The statement acknowledged God’s sovereignty over life and death and addressed Zambia’s collective mourning for President Lungu. It emphasized that his passing transcended family, government, and legal systems, calling for peace, reconciliation, and divine harmony.
Representatives from various faiths then offered individual prayers, praying for national reconciliation and urging unity among religious, political, and family leaders. A symbolic water ceremony promoting unity was conducted and explained by Rev. Rudolf Faerber, Secretary-General of UPF Zambia.
Bishop Masupa addressed attendees, urging religious leaders to look beyond doctrinal differences and recognize all as members of one human family under God.
Notable speeches were delivered by religious leaders, including Rabbi Ram Auerbanch from the Jewish community, who emphasized social cohesion and peaceful coexistence, calling this event a historic milestone for communal prayer across faiths. Rev. Mica Camara of FFWPU Africa Region South highlighted the shared identity of all as children of God, emphasizing unity, harmony, and reconciliation.
Youth representatives from the International Association of Youth and Students for Peace (IAYSP Zambia) expressed gratitude for the elders’ spiritual guidance and reaffirmed their commitment to promoting peace. They pledged to collaborate across generations, faiths, and communities and urged this event to be a catalyst for ongoing unity and mentorship.
In his closing remarks, Mr. Clarence Phiri accentuated the importance of interfaith collaboration and coexistence, aligning with the vision of “One Family Under God.” The closing prayer was led by Grand Mufti Assadullah Mwale.
At the event’s conclusion, a joint declaration was signed, which read:
“We, the religious leaders of diverse faiths and beliefs in Zambia, gathered here today, July 22, 2025, express our deepest condolences to the nation and the family of the late Sixth Republican President, Edgar Chagwa Lungu, on his untimely passing. We share in the grief of all Zambians. Our prayers and hearts are with the entire nation and the Lungu family.”
Signed by representatives of: Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Baháʼí Faith
Declaration:
- We, as faith leaders and peace ambassadors, acknowledge the sovereignty of God over life and death.
The breakfast prayer included distinguished religious and civic leaders, traditional rulers, and faith-based organization representatives, symbolizing interfaith solidarity and Zambia’s collective pursuit of healing. The event was broadcast nationwide via television and radio stations.