A look back at last month’s “9/11 Tribute New York Interfaith World Peace Prayer”, which brought together spiritual leaders, humanitarians, musicians, and community members at Manhattan’s historic St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery to honor the lives lost on September 11, 2001.
Co-hosted by a coalition of international and local organizations, including the Heiwa Peace and Reconciliation Foundation of New York, St. Mark’s Church, and the Prayer for World Peace Association – this gathering was centered on the theme “Across Faiths, Across Borders, One Prayer for Peace | Where Prayers Meet, Peace Begins.” Set within Manhattan’s second-oldest church building, the event connected historical memories of tragedy with a collective commitment to global reconciliation, mutual respect, and modern interfaith dialogue.
The heart of the service featured spoken prayers, sacred text recitations, and reflections from diverse religious leaders advocating for peace over division. Rev. Anne Marie Witchger of St. Mark’s Church prayed for a deep, achievable peace, while I echoed teachings from Buddha and Martin Luther King Jr., emphasizing that only love, not hate, can dispel hatred following times of suffering. Guruji H.H. Dileepkumar Thankappan of the World Yoga Community reaffirmed the importance of cross-tradition unity, and Imam Muhammad Shahidullah of the Interfaith Center of USA recited Surah Al-Fatiha, declaring a shared faith in peace under one God and a collective promise of “never again.”
The tribute blended sacred ceremonies, cultural art, and musical dedications, highlighted by the dedication of 6,000 global origami cranes and a Paper Lantern Workshop for Peace inspired by traditional Japanese Tōrō Nagashi rites. Ceremonies began with opening rituals, a Japanese tea offering (Kucha), Kagura performance, and musical selections such as “Towers of Light” and “Amazing Grace.” To close the event, religious leaders led the congregation in a solemn walking meditation into the church garden, where attendees held their hand-crafted paper lanterns under the open sky while singing John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “Imagine”, alongside “God Bless America.”
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