JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is building interfaith bridges and promoting religious freedom through continued efforts throughout Africa.
Throughout Africa, the Church has strengthened relationships with other faiths as it strives to promote religious freedom and interfaith harmony. Opinion leaders from several African countries have met with General Authority Seventies and Apostles, both in their own countries and in visits to Salt Lake City.
Elder Edward Dube, General Authority Seventy and the president of the Africa South Area, said religion remains the most powerful force for good and community building.
He returned to his home country of Zimbabwe on Sunday, May 19, to represent the Church as he gave a keynote at the 11th annual conference of the African Consortium for Law and Religion Studies in the city of Victoria Falls.
There, he encouraged listeners to focus on the teachings of Jesus Christ to “love thy neighbor as thyself” as they work to encourage mutual respect and cooperation between different groups.
“Those who grasp this truth will shape the world,” Elder Dube said. “It’s your shared aspirations that will indeed bring the change that you yearn for in this world.”
Other speakers at the conference — which brought together 162 leaders from 21 countries — spoke on that theme of shaping the future and the role of leaders in protecting religious freedom and human rights. The city is the home of one of the majestic Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world.
Chief Mvutu Mtata Sibanda, traditional leader for Victoria Falls said, “May the mighty waters of the Zambezi River inspire us to flow together in harmony and unity.”
During Elder Dube’s remarks, he stressed the critical need for leadership: “In the end everything rises and falls on leadership.”
The African Consortium for Law and Religion Studies is sponsored in part by the J. Reuben Clark Law School of Brigham Young University. Last year’s conference included remarks from Elder Jörg Klebingat, General Authority Seventy and first counselor in the Africa West Area.
Then he taught that three things are essential for social harmony to prevail — first, respect for religious freedom of all faiths; second, all faiths must feel free from fear of persecution; and third, freedom of worship and religious expression should be encouraged both in public and in the home.
Last month, Elder Ian S. Ardern, General Authority Seventy and president of the Africa Central Area, spoke at the 2nd International Conference on Interreligious Dialogue in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
There, hundreds of participants together from different religions of Africa and the world commemorated World Interfaith Harmony Week and the 2024 Golden Rule Day.
“Our coming together transcends all of us, and we want to collaborate — and are collaborating — for change for good across all of our countries and this beautiful continent,” Elder Ardern said.
He referenced President Russell M. Nelson’s remarks to the NAACP in July 2019: “We have — that’s you and I — we are all connected, and we have — that’s you and I — a God-given responsibility to help make life better for those around us,” Elder Ardern said. “I think we all agree with that. Our vital role of religious leaders individually and collectively is to reclaim the sense of goodwill and humanity for which each of us yearn.”
On Sunday, Elder Dube said that actions of today shape the world of tomorrow. “The more united and focused we are in our quest, the greater the pace of change for a better continent and world will be.”
