At least nine Christian denominations in Fiji have agreed to work together on a joint calendar of peace messages and peace building initiatives leading up to the 2014 elections.
This resolution comes at the conclusion of the World Association of Christian Communication (WACC) Pacific Communications Rights for Peace symposium held in Suva last week.
The outcomes statement, released ahead of the International Day of Peace also reaffirms the commitment of church leaders to speak with one voice in society and also within the church community, and to speak together for peace as they face the next 12 months leading up to the scheduled September 2014 election.
President of WACC Pacific, Rev Akuila Yabaki, said the release of an outcomes statement reflects how the participants have reaffirmed their communication values grounded in the Christian faith.
One of the participants, Pastor Wame Sausau, of the SDA Church, said it was important for church leaders to work together to define the common vision of moving forward as a Christian community.
“We will need to speak what the government needs to hear, whether government accepts it or not,” Sausau said.
He said churches had a lot of things in common even though they were miles apart in terms of doctrine teachings. “But there are so many things that unite us which make us work together.”
The resolution agreed to at the end of the symposium last Friday states that the path to democracy must be inclusive and participatory and walked in humility and love.
It affirmed the churches commitment to work with civil society organisations in the walk towards a truly democratic, peaceful and prosperous Fiji.