Muslim and Christian women gather for an Interfaith Ramadan program in Nigeria.
To commemorate World Interfaith Harmony Week, we have been highlighting the interfaith peacebuilding initiatives of the Global Peace Foundation (GPF). This week, we are turning our attention towards the women who have been bridging divides and bringing communities together through empathy, service, and moral courage.
At GPF, women are not just participants and beneficiaries of peacebuilding programs; they are agents of peace and change, particularly in Nigeria, where women have been instrumental in nurturing peace and social cohesion. As mothers, educators, caregivers, and community leaders, women often are the first responders to conflict and its consequences. In an effort to promote interfaith harmony in Nigeria, GPF Nigeria created spaces for women from different backgrounds through their program, ‘Interfaith Ramadan Palliatives Distribution for Peace and Unity Initiative’.
Done in collaboration with the Kukah Center, the program brought the Christian and Muslim communities, previously impacted by religious violence, together to reconnect with each other, embracing their religious differences. As Maryam Ibrahim said, “I am happy to reunite with my Christian friends whom I haven’t seen in years due to past conflicts. This program has reminded us that we are all one family”. In January 2026, women were central to the capacity-building workshop on Freedom of Religion or Belief in Nigeria.
Group exercise during the capacity-building workshop on Freedom of Religion or Belief in Nigeria
Likewise, women have been building peace from their homes, extending it to their communities, societies, and nations. The Peace Begins in the Home initiative, in collaboration with Global Peace Women (GPW), GPF has been extending harmony nurtured in values-based peacebuilding that begins at home with moral and innovative leadership.
Peace is not approached as a one-time event, but as an ongoing process sustained through trust, care, and shared responsibility. Through regular programs, interactions, service projects, and activities, women come together to reinforce peace despite differences. Through its initiatives, GPF advances its vision of One Family Under God and helps resolve conflicts and divisions, starting from the ground up, in communities and families. GPF creates inclusive platforms for dialogue, trust building, and collaborative action, where women can come together for peace and change.
As we reflect during World Interfaith Harmony Week, the role of women in peacebuilding deserves renewed recognition and support. Their leadership and participation strengthen communities from within and ensure that interfaith harmony is woven into everyday life rather than confined to symbolic observances.
Global Peace Foundation remains committed to advancing women’s leadership in its interfaith initiatives and programs rooted in social connection, community engagement, and sustained dialogue. By empowering women, GPF helps build a future where peace is lived across faiths, across communities, and across generations. As we commemorate the World Interfaith Harmony Week, we honor women who have been instrumental in our peacebuilding initiatives.
Join us as we advance our peacebuilding activities to advance interfaith harmony.
