Hindus, Muslims march for peace

(November 28, 2009) Some 200 students from a Jesuit leadership program joined several thousand others in a candlelight march in Kolkata on November 26 to mark the first anniversary of deadly terror attacks in Mumbai.The mostly Hindu and Muslim students from the Jesuit-managed Leadership Training Service (LTS) said they wanted to join efforts to stop violence and hatred in the country. On Nov. 26, 2008, militants launched coordinated attacks on several sites in Mumbai, leaving 174 dead including nine of the gunmen. The LTS members felt that this march could help promote peace and harmony among students of different communities in school. Jesuit Father Zenith William, the LTS national promoter, said the program promotes interfaith sharing and appreciation among its 15,000 student members. Some 50 percent of LTS members are Hindus, 30 percent Muslims, while other religions make up the rest. Christians form less than two percent, he said. The LTS has some 3,000 members in Kolkata. He said the LTS, which was formed 50 years ago, aims to help students appreciate the multi-religious reality of India. Every LTS meeting begins with prayers and readings from the holy books of different religions. The members also celebrate major festivals of all religions, he added.