Feb 1- 8, 2026
Why should you be there?
United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week is a moment of interfaith community solidarity in Calgary, a time when faith communities demonstrate that they are with and for each other! Check out online events across Canada.
Feb. 1: Opening Ceremony
2:45 – 4:45 p.m. The Atrium at City Hall
- Participate in the Confluence of Faiths Procession
Bring two members of your community to participate in the procession/parade. We encourage diversity of representation – man and women, elder and child, clergy – lay. This will be an enactment of the confluence of faiths flowing together. Arrive at 2:30 pm to participate. Complete RSVP Form
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Represent your community with a Stand Up Banners
Bring your stand-up banner to display during the Opening Ceremony. We would love to see a large collection of different banners representing all of our faith communities. Arrive by 2:30 pm with your banner. Complete RSVP Form
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Have your children join a Pop Up Children’s Choir
Under the direction of Amanda Massey from Hillhurst United Church, an Interfaith Children’s choir will share two songs in the Opening Ceremony.
- Why should you come?
- Meet people who are Jewish, Hindu, Christian , Baha’i , Buddhists, Unitarians, Christian, Muslim , Sikh and Indigenous
- Take part in a procession
- Chanting, a children’s choir and a reception
- Greetings from a City Councillor
Feb. 2-6: 5 Faithful Days: Midday Prayers for a World United
12:00 – 12:30 pm, online
Give yourself a break. Take 30 min to enjoy the prayer and meditation practices of other faiths! REGISTER HERE
Monday – Dr. Harjot, Sikh
Dr. Harjot Kaur Singh is a dynamic and knowledgeable speaker and lecturer to Interfaith groups and a distinguished representative of the Calgary Sikh community. Among her leadership roles in the Sikh community, Dr. Singh is the Chair of the Sikh Advisory Committee of the University of Calgary Faith and Spirituality Centre, the Board of Director of the Guru Amar Das Niwas Seniors Nursing Home Association, the past Chair of the International Khalsa Council, and the Inaugural Lil Faider Scholar – in – Residence for the Beth Tzedec Synagogue. She currently is on the Board of Directors of Sikhnet and was a trustee on the Siri Singh Sahib Corporation. She has also been an integral part of Calgary Women in Spirituality. She was awarded the Pluralism Award of Excellence from the University of Calgary in 2017. In June of 2025, Dr. Singh was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medical for her interfaith Wwork over several decades. Dr. Singh works in private practice as a family physician.
Tuesday – Rhonda Crooks, Member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Director of Communication, Nose Hill Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Rhonda Crooks became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the age of 39 in Edmonton, Alberta. She wasn’t looking for a church, but when it was introduced to her, the beliefs of the faith resonated with her. Over the past 34 years, she has served in many Church roles which have given her opportunities to teach and to serve children and adults in Primary, Relief Society, Sunday School and Stake Public Affairs. Rhonda and her husband Tom served a Church mission in the Marshall Islands in 2015 working with medical staff, village leaders and a variety of faiths to help mitigate and reduce diabetes. The Marshall Islands has the highest incidence of diabetes in the world.
Wednesday – Ayse Sezgin, Muslim
Ayşe Sezgin is a respected community advocate and dedicated bridge-builder within Calgary’s interfaith and intercultural communities. As a thoughtful and engaging speaker, she brings deep cultural insight and a steadfast commitment to social harmony to all her public engagements.
Among her many leadership roles, Ms. Sezgin serves as the Program Director for the Intercultural Dialogue Institute (IDI), where she designs and implements dialogue initiatives that foster mutual understanding. She previously chaired the Bridge Builders Initiative and has been a long-time lead facilitator for the IDI’s “Interfaith Dialogue” program, guiding conversations that strengthen community cohesion.
Professionally, Ayşe Sezgin is a certified ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher and a Regulated International Student Immigration Advisor (RISIA). She leverages this unique dual expertise to support newcomers and international students not only in language acquisition but also in navigating their educational and settlement journeys in Canada, ensuring they feel welcomed and empowered.
Thursday – Eva Torn Thomas. and May Cummings , The Baha’i Faith
Eva Torn Thomas has engaged in organizing interfaith activities in the Slovak Republic, British Columbia, and for the last decade, in Calgary. May Cummings is a member of the Baha’i Faith. She has been involved with Calgary Interfaith council for about 10 years. She serves on the Women of Faith and the Interfaith Breakfast committees.
Friday – William Brook, United Church of Canada
William Brook is training for ordained ministry in the United Church of Canada after having been a Genetics professor at the University of Calgary. He studied the Christian contemplative tradition at the Living School, is a trained spiritual director and holds a Master of Divinity from the Vancouver School of Theology.
William experiences the sacred most often in circles-of-people resting together in silence or sharing from their places of depth and vulnerability. He believes practises of presence help deepen sacred connections and build community. In his current work, he tries to bring contemplative practise into congregational life as a student minister at Living Spirit Centre in Calgary.
Feb 4: Harmony in a Time of Crisis
7:00 – 9:00 pm, FCJ Centre 219 19 Ave SW
Women from different faith traditions will share how their faiths support harmony during times of crisis. This event will provide lots of opportunities to listen and share as we discover the rich resources that faith can bring. REGISTER HERE
Dr. Jackie Ho is an instructor of Religious Studies at Mount Royal University. She has a PhD in Religious Studies and has been teaching a variety of world religions courses which include introduction to Eastern Religions, Buddhism, and Death and the Afterlife. She is a representative of the Pai Yuin Buddhist Temple (located at 1809 Centre St. NW), a branch of the True Buddha School, and she is 1 of 2 women in Canada to have the “Dharma Instructor” role, after passing an internal examination. The True Buddha School is a global Vajrayana Buddhist organization founded by Living Buddha Lian-Sheng. The True Buddha School strongly supports women in leadership positions, and Jackie has been volunteering for the temple for over two decades, assisting the temple’s nuns with leading meditation, giving guided tours, and conducting rituals.
Cheryl Melatdoost is a dedicated educator, advisor, and community builder with over twenty years of experience supporting students and families in higher education. She is deeply committed to creating spaces where people feel seen, supported, and empowered to grow, whether through her work at Mount Royal University, her leadership in children’s and youth programming, or her service within the Bahá’í community. Known for her compassionate approach and systems-minded leadership, Cheryl brings both heart and practicality to everything she does. Above all, she is a wife, mother, and friend who believes that faith in action is expressed through service to others.
Parvinder kaur Sangha is an educationist with a Master of Education and a Master of English. She is the mother of two daughters and an entrepreneur. ( Owner of a daycare in Calgary). She actively volunteers in the community and has been leading Guru Nanak Punjabi School, run by the Sikh Society of Calgary, as the Team Lead for Education and Youth for many years. Her work centres on education, faith, and community service.
Rev. Marion Martin is a Diaconal Minister for The United Church of Canada. She currently serves St. Thomas and Foothills Communities of Faith alongside Rev. Tracy Roberston. One of her highlights since coming to Calgary 3.5 years ago, has been the opportunity to be involved in the Calgary Interfaith Council and many of its events. She is passionate about learning more about her siblings in other Faith Traditions, and is grateful for the opportunity to connect with other like minded people.
Ayşe Sezgin is a respected community advocate and dedicated bridge-builder within Calgary’s interfaith and intercultural communities. As a thoughtful and engaging speaker, she brings deep cultural insight and a steadfast commitment to social harmony to all her public engagements.
Among her many leadership roles, Ms. Sezgin serves as the Program Director for the Intercultural Dialogue Institute (IDI), where she designs and implements dialogue initiatives that foster mutual understanding. She previously chaired the Bridge Builders Initiative and has been a long-time lead facilitator for the IDI’s “Interfaith Dialogue” program, guiding conversations that strengthen community cohesion.
Professionally, Ayşe Sezgin is a certified ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher and a Regulated International Student Immigration Advisor (RISIA). She leverages this unique dual expertise to support newcomers and international students not only in language acquisition but also in navigating their educational and settlement journeys in Canada, ensuring they feel welcomed and empowered.
Sue Stephenson
I am retired now, but I was a foster parent for 33 years. I have 6 children, 15 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren with one on the way. I have been a member of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints for 36 years, and I currently serve as the Relief Society President of the Airdrie Alberta Stake.
Diane Schoen – To come
Feb 5: Scriptural Sharing
2 – 3:30 p.m. Faith and Spirituality Centre MacEwan Students’ Centre, Room 487 402 Collegiate Blvd NW
Directions: Inside MacEwan Students’ Centre, there’s a large food court. Find the Dairy Queen, and take the nearby elevator/stairs up to the 4th floor. Follow signs to the Faith and Spirituality Centre (MSC 487).
Feb 6: Chair of Christian Thought Iwaasa Lecture on Urban Theology
6:30 – 8:00 pm, Whelan Performance Hall, Main Calgary Public Library
God’s Dominion? Christian Nationalism and the Stories We Tell About Canada: Dr Lisa Gasson-Gardner
If stories we tell about Canada shape our leaders, our institutions, even our democracy, what happens when a grassroots Christian movement insists that Canada is and always was a Christian nation, not a mosaic made more beautiful by its diverse citizens? REGISTER HERE
Feb 8: A Celebration of Trees
2:00 – 5:00 pm, Temple B’nai Tikvah 900 47 Ave SW
In a time of climate change let’ s lean into the wisdom our faith traditions offer about who we are as part of the Earth community. There will also be an introduction to planting an urban mini foresta and a delicious reception with plant based food. REGISTER HERE
For more information contact Sarah Arthurs: [email protected]
Download the posters: Print / Online
