Looking heavenward for unity and harmony

Photo by Hiroki Konno

Religious delegates and student representatives gathered at BYU–Hawaii on April 21 for the 2026 Religious Freedom & Human Dignity (RFHD) conference welcome dinner. Participants engaged in meaningful dialogues on religious diversity and social inclusivity in the hopes of improving regional peacebuilding.

The welcome dinner marks the commencement of the annual RFHD conference themed, “Religion & Human Flourishing: Building Pathways to Peaceful Societies in South Asia.”

Finding friendship and harmonizing as one

Elder David L. Buckner, a general authority seventy, opened the session by urging the audience to reflect on the current state of the world. He said, “We find ways to connect [with people] across the world, yet we feel so distant when we’re in the same room.” He then shared three key lessons for the audience to consider and apply.

Elder Buckner called the first lesson “the sacred and the divine.” He recounted two past experiences, one where he viewed bright city lights and another where he observed the architectural elements of a temple. He explained that light is “something as we see and are drawn to,” emphasizing the absence of borders and boundaries within it. He also acknowledged the temple’s beauty, despite its differences from a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ.

Elder Buckner related these experiences to the RFHD and asked the audience, “Where are we looking?” He invited them to ponder whether their eyes were drawn to the differences in one another, or “looking heavenward together” despite their differing faiths and understandings.

Photo by Hiroki Konno

Elder Buckner titled his second lesson “we have a story.” He referenced traveling to Jerusalem with a diverse group of religious leaders. He noted many held differing beliefs. “[Some of which] we’ll never agree upon,” he commented. Nevertheless, he stated that he still regarded them as friends. “These are my best friends. Oh, different faiths, different beliefs, … but they are friends,” he said.

Elder Buckner reiterated that “[everyone] has a story,” and emphasized the importance of looking heavenward despite the differences behind each story. “It’s [all] about friendship,” he stated.

The third and final lesson Elder Buckner relayed was the time where he invited friends from different religions to watch the Tabernacle Choir in Salt Lake City, Utah. As the choir sang, he noted the sense of harmony throughout the performance. The different voices, notes and music all came together in perfect harmony, he said. “In the purest sense, [it was] God-like unity,” he shared.

Elder Buckner then posed the question, “What part do we play?” He explained that “[everyone] has the capacity to harmonize with different voices, beliefs, faiths and understandings,” and encouraged the audience to put that into practice.

Looking beyond probabilities and moving toward possibilities

Elder Buckner described the RFHD as an opportune moment for the audience to apply his three lessons. For him, the week-long event allows participants to become acquainted with one another, harmonize with their differences and ultimately look heavenward together. “Look beyond the probabilities. [Instead], look at the possibilities,” he commented.

Elder Buckner concluded by inviting the audience to “look at this week as a higher and holier opportunity to [not only] express unity, but also harmony.” He said, “Recognize that there’s still one story left to be told, and that is the story you write here.“

Rediscovering religion to promote inclusivity in diversity

Following Elder Buckner’s talk, six religious leaders from South Asia discussed religion’s role as a force for peacebuilding in societies. Reverend Father Pascal Paulus O.P. stated religion has been misused to promote fear and mistrust instead of peace in diversity. “The problem is not religion … [it] is how we misuse it,” he said.

Photo by Hiroki Konno

Concurring with this notion, Muslim representative Sayyid Ibraheemul Khaleel Al Bukhari spoke of “the true spirit of religion” as the driving force for unity. He stated, “Religions should not divide us. [It] should grade us to live together with respect, dignity and compassion.”

Religious leaders Jasbir Singh Dhody, Reverend Dr. Wadinagala Pannaloka and Father James Channan O.P. each offered ways to foster peaceful societies, particularly in South Asia. Sikh representative Dhody stated peace may be truly established through concrete, humanitarian acts and a shared recognition of humanity over different identities. “Peace cannot be built where religions compete for supremacy,” he stressed.

Similarly, Reverend Pannaloka explained inclusivity, particularly in how different groups perceive one another, is key to fostering religious peace efforts. He said, “[Peace] comes through a lot of effort. One way is changing how [we] see others.”

Lastly, Father Channan reiterated the importance of “loving others” and “working for reconciliation” as a means of ending violence in various aspects of society—aspects such as “healthcare, social welfare, human development and helping [those in need].”

Concluding the talk was Elder Buckner, who shared the first steps in building peaceful societies. “One thing that can help create more peaceful societies is starting here,” he said. Before bridging communities and building societies, he explained that people must first “start at home.”

More RFHD photos available on Flickr