The Inter-Religious Organisation, Singapore (IRO) has been actively building friendship and trust between Singapore’s diversity of religions. Through the fellowship of religious leaders since its founding 70 years ago in 1949, IRO has spearheaded peaceful interfaith relations to help bring about religious harmony in Singapore. Thus the IRO, a non-government organisation, has had significant impact on the development of multicultural, multiracial, multilingual and multi-religious Singapore. From the chaos after the Second World War to the present, the IRO and its members have cultivated harmony between followers of the many faiths in the island state of Singapore. Whether practising ancient or younger faiths, Singapore’s IRO brings together followers of major religions.
Hinduism, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Taoism, Jainism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism and Baha’i Faith were represented in the IRO 70th anniversary exhibition titled “Harmony of Faiths Singapore”. In the exhibition, the history of the IRO was retold with references to the pioneering work of the IRO leaders from before Singapore’s struggle for independence to the trailblazing energy of a young nation set for success. The work of the IRO has helped to unify Singapore especially through troubled times and challenges.
The IRO legacy of religious harmony and its continuing activities stewarded an essential way of life in Singapore and an indelible part of Singaporean national culture and social inheritance. In the exhibit, the different aspects of IRO’s work on religious harmony were presented as a unified show to reach out to our ultimate beneficiaries – everyone without exception, including a new generation of Singapore youth.
The exhibition was connected by these following themes:
- Fellowship – a historic section of the IRO’s work at a national/international level
- Growth – that has connected IRO’s activities to society
- Sharing – the key takeaways for young generations that do not know life without harmony
The exhibition also displayed the ten religions of IRO – Hinduism, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Taoism, Jainism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism and Baha’i Faith.