On 27 August, a Prayer for Peace meeting was organised at the House of Friendship in Blantyre, with the participation of representatives of the various religious beliefs present in Malawi.
The country is preparing for the general elections on 16 September and, unfortunately, as has already happened in the past, there have been violent clashes between supporters of different political parties in recent months. The tensions have caused many people to be injured and arrested, mainly involving young people, who are often hired to stir up clashes in exchange for small sums of money.
The Community of Sant'Egidio in Malawi, concerned about the growing violence, brought together Malawians from all backgrounds, religious leaders, civic actors, students and civil society for a moment of prayer and reflection on the importance of safeguarding dialogue. They launched an appeal for peace in the country and in the world, even with reference to the ongoing wars, particularly in Ukraine.
About 400 people took part in the prayer meeting, including young people from Youth for Peace and the Catholic University of Malawi, representatives of the Catholic, Protestant and Evangelical Churches, and the Hindu and Muslim communities. Together, they reaffirmed that differences — of faith, culture or background — should not be walls of division, but bridges that can make Malawi stronger and more united. At a critical time such as the one the country is going through, everyone is called to choose dialogue instead of conflict, unity instead of division, peace instead of violence.
Pemphero Nehiya, head of the Community of Sant'Egidio, stressed that although Malawi has remained largely peaceful compared to other nations, recent political tensions and episodes of violence show the urgency of cultivating a true culture of peace: 'No to war. No to violence. No to hatred,‘ he said. ’As the elections approach, we are called to protect Malawi's greatest treasure: our peace. This is not simply the absence of war, but the daily work of dialogue, respect and coexistence.’
The ceremony concluded with the signing of an Appeal for Peace by the religious representatives and civil authorities present, accompanied by a joint commitment to build a network of dialogue and peaceful coexistence in the country in the near future.
