The 2025 World Religion Prayers for Peace and Buddha’s Light Vegetarian Food Fair, jointly organized by FoGuang Shan Temple of Toronto and the Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) Toronto Chapter, was held on June 22 and welcomed over 1,500 participants. The interfaith event brought together religious leaders and dignitaries in a shared call for peace, compassion, and environmental awareness.

The ceremony featured prayers from representatives of Catholicism, Judaism, Islam, Theravāda Buddhism, and the Bahá’í Faith. The Hon. Rechie Valdez, M.P., Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Businessand Tourism), attended the event in person and offered her heartfelt congratulations. The Hon. Nina Tangri, M.P.P., Associate Minister of Small Business, presented a congratulatory message on behalf of the Ontario Government. MP Shaun Chen and MP Michael Ma also extended their congratulations through formal letters, commending the efforts of Fo Guang Shan and BLIA in promoting peace, cultural harmony, and sustainability in the community.

Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish and Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti offered their best wishes through official congratulatory letters. The event was also attended by multiple city councillors, Director-General Lawrence Y. Liang of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Toronto, as well as representatives from the Carefirst Foundation. In their remarks, outstanding guests praised the temple and BLIA for their ongoing contributions to interfaith dialogue, cultural education, and environmental advocacy.

The event began with a Land Acknowledgement honoring Indigenous heritage and expressing gratitude for the natural environment. Venerable Chueh Fan, Abbess of Fo Guang Shan Temple of Toronto, led the recitation of the Heart Sutra and A Prayer for World Peace by Fo Guang Shan’s founder, Venerable Master Hsing Yun. Religious leaders offered prayers in their own traditions, expressing hopes for an end to global conflict and blessings for all beings.

“Peace is the shared responsibility of all humanity,” said Venerable Chueh Fan, quoting Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s teaching that peace must be nurtured through compassion, not violence. She shared the concept of the “Five Harmonies,” encouraging individuals to cultivate peace within themselves and extend it to families, society, and the world. She also emphasized that adopting a vegetarian lifestyle is one practical way to express care for the planet.

Running concurrently with the prayer ceremony, the Buddha’s Light Vegetarian Food Fair, now in its 25th year, featured over 30 booths offering more than 170 vegetarian dishes representing arange of Asian cuisines. Cultural performances, family-friendly activities, wellness booths, and temple tours created a vibrant and joyful atmosphere for guests of all ages. Participants also wrote wishes for peace on maple-leaf-shaped prayer cards in Chinese, English, and Cantonese.

Mabel Lam, President of BLIAToronto, credited the success of the event to the tireless dedication ofhundreds of volunteers. She thanked the public for their enthusiastic support in helping sow seeds of peace and kindness throughout the community.