Planetary liberation day marked with call for peace

Leaders of different faiths last Saturday joined the Etherean Mission to commemorate this year’s Planetary Liberation Day (PLD) with a call on religious bodies to use their influence to promote peace.

The event held on the theme, “The Role of religion for world peace,” provided a platform for dialogue on how faith could be used to foster tolerance, understanding and collaboration.

Planetary Liberation Day is observed annually on the third Saturday in September.

Commemoration

This year’s event brought together leaders and representatives of different religious and spiritual traditions.

They included Rev. Sis. Josephine Tetteh, Leader of the Etherean Mission, Sheikh Mustapha Salifu of the Islamic faith, Om George Ebo Crentsil of the Hindu faith, and Rastafarian representative, Derick Nana Mbrah.

Also present were Togbe Agumedra Afexe VII and Nuumo Tsawe Otrome II, Tsawe Wulormor of Kpone, representing the African Traditional Religion; Keseva Dasa of the Hare Krishna faith; Dr Baffour Jan of the Jan Cosmic Foundation; and Dr David King Boison, who represented Artificial Intelligence and Technology.

The discussions examined how religion could be transformed into a force for peace and how faith leaders could use their platforms to encourage collaboration among communities.

Message

Delivering a goodwill message, The Founder of the Etherean Mission, Brother Ishmael Tetteh, said peace should not be seen as an event, but as a culture.

He cautioned that peace agreements reached in anger were “time bombs,” and stressed that peace must begin with individuals before extending to families and society.

Bro. Tetteh explained that the vision of the Etherean Mission was anchored on three pillars: developing a global outlook that unites humanity, building character in individuals, and training the senses to recognise unity in diversity.

Organisers of the event explained that outcomes from the interfaith dialogue would be used to shape a set of indicators that religious platforms could adopt as a roadmap to peace.

That, they said, was to encourage faith communities to use their influence to bridge divides and build stronger bonds among their followers.

They emphasised that the discussions were not merely symbolic, but part of a broader effort to design practical approaches that could contribute to sustainable peace worldwide.

They explained that while the world continues to face conflict and division, the observance remains a reminder that peace is achievable if individuals commit themselves to practising it in their daily lives.

The central message of this year’s celebration, they stressed, was that world peace within our lifetime is possible if it began with individuals making deliberate efforts to embody the values of tolerance, understanding, and harmony.

Background

The liberation day was instituted in 2001 by the Founder of the Etherean Mission and Director Brother Ishmael Tetteh.

In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks in the United States, Brother Tetteh chose not to celebrate his September 19 birthday but instead dedicate the day to peace.

He directed the Etherean Mission in Ghana to mark it every year.

This has grown into an international platform where themes such as interfaith harmony and peaceful elections have been highlighted.