During the Davao Philippines Temple open-house period, a religious freedom forum held in Davao City, Philippines, brought together interfaith leaders, local government officials, representatives of Indigenous communities and others involved in peacebuilding and interfaith relations.
The forum, held March 25, emphasized the importance of strong families, religious freedom and interfaith cooperation in sustaining peace in Mindanao, which is the southernmost major island in the Philippines and where Davao is located.
Mindanao is a culturally diverse region featuring many Indigenous groups and large Christian and Muslim populations. The Philippines overall is now home to more than 880,000 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, giving it the fourth-largest population of Latter-day Saints in the world.
In his keynote message at the religious freedom forum, Elder Erich W. Kopischke, General Authority Seventy, said peacebuilding begins in the family, and reminded participants that people of faith have “much more in common than what divides us,” reported the Church’s Philippines Newsroom.
Elder Kopischke taught that God has placed people under the obligation to “love and respect each other,” and said these principles are essential to “peace in the home, peace in the community and peace in the world.”
“In the home, families teach values like love, respect, forgiveness and understanding, which are essential for building peace in communities,” Elder Kopischke said.
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stands for these principles. We believe that ‘the family is ordained of God’ and that ‘it is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children,’” he added.
Elder Kopischke was joined by his wife, Sister Christiane Kopischke, and Elder Carlos G. Revillo Jr., General Authority Seventy and president of the Church’s Philippines Area, and his wife, Sister Marie Revillo.
The forum was organized by Brigham Young University’s International Center for Law and Religion Studies, the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy, and Religions for Peace Philippines.
After the forum’s meetings, participants toured the Davao temple during its open house, which Elder Kopischke described as a sacred symbol of “light and peace.” Elder Kopischke, who also serves as the assistant executive director in the Temple Department, also led media representatives and invited guests through the temple for its media day at the beginning of the open house on March 23.
The new house of the Lord will be dedicated on Sunday, May 3, by Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Once dedicated, the Davao temple will be the fifth operating temple in the Philippines and serve Latter-day Saints throughout Mindanao.
