FAITH leaders have met to promote religious harmony and peace.
They gathered at Newi, Wrexham, for the first time in what was described as an 'historic and momentous occasion in the history of the Christian Church in North East Wales'.
Among those taking part were the Rt Rev Edwin Regan, Roman Catholic Bishop of Wrexham; the Rt Rev John Davies, Bishop of St Asaph; Fr Bishop Michel, Coptic Orthodox Church; Ian Waugh, from the Methodist Church; the Rev Peter Nunn, United Reformed Church; Major David Evans, Salvation Army; Paul Jeorrett, Quakers/Newi Chaplaincy; Dr Dulal Kumar Bannerjee, Hinduism; Abdul Aziz, Islam, chairman, Chester Mosque; Dr Ikram U Shah, Wrexham, Sikhism; H S Sohal Hardev Singh, Buddhism, and Saisuree Harvey, Padmasara.
Also taking part was Carmel Munnelly, of Yale College and the Rev Anthapurusha, of Bistre, the Bishop of St Asaph's adviser for inter-faith relations who helped to set up the group on behalf of the Churches Together in North East Wales (Cytun).
The gathering began with a meal and brief self-introduction.
The Bishop of St Asaph said: 'Our role is to act as peacemakers and peacekeepers when religion is used for purposes of power and especially when religion is manipulated as an instrument of conflict.
'We are meeting today to deepen our mutual under-standing and mutual trust.
'Our common life together should lead us to co-operation in social involvement with a common commitment to justice and peace.
'We are here to promote religious harmony and peace and build up communities in situations where there are religious misunderstandings, controversies and tensions in our society.'
