To create a space for unity and peace, Mexico City’s General Directorate for Religious Affairs held the sixth Interfaith Peace Initiative on Wednesday, September 18, 2024.
The event included representatives from more than 20 religious associations present in Mexico.
Elder Moisés Villanueva of the Mexico Area Presidency, as well as Elders Ranulfo Cervantes and Arturo Palmieri, who are Area Seventies, represented The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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“Building peace is a shared task,” said Jorge Eduardo Basaldúa Silva, Mexico’s general director of religious affairs. He emphasized that the work of peacebuilders “is to recognize that the path must always remain open to dialogue, as dialogue is an act of creation.”
Basaldúa said Mexico aspires to form a democratic secular state that simultaneously reflects the rich culture that makes up the country.
“Religious diversity enriches us and adds color to the space we inhabit,” he said.
Representatives from various denominations praised the Office of Religious Affairs’ role in supporting their religious associations, not only in handling registration procedures but in organizing forums where beliefs, opinions, initiatives and projects can be exchanged in an atmosphere of respect and tolerance.
As part of the event, each faith representative shared an object or symbol of their faith and explained how that symbol helps build peace. Elder Cervantes presented a scale replica of Thorvaldsen’s Christus statue, a symbol of the Church that “invites us to focus on the Savior and follow His teachings and example,” he said.
Mexico’s Office of Religious Affairs office supports the Church in several areas, including processing permits for missionaries, mission presidents and ministers. It also grants approval for the Church’s media presence, such as general conferences broadcast nationwide on radio and television.