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Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura
Media releases

Harmony Centre and An-Nahdhah Mosque mark 20 years of interfaith trust, pledge to strengthen neighbourliness

14 October 2026

Faith leaders affirm shared Charter on Neighbourliness, with new J.I.R.A.N Toolkit to foster stronger interfaith ties in everyday life.

  1. The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) commemorated the 20th anniversary of Harmony Centre and An-Nahdhah Mosque at a Gala Dinner today, celebrating two decades of efforts strengthening religious understanding and building trust across Singapore’s faith communities. The milestone also marked a renewed commitment to deepen neighbourliness, with faith leaders affirming a shared Charter on Neighbourliness and the launch of the J.I.R.A.N Interfaith Engagement Toolkit.

  2. Themed "From Harmony to Neighbourliness: Building Trust for the Future", the Gala Dinner was held at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore and attended by around 450 guests, including religious and community leaders, interfaith partners, public officers, and volunteers and stakeholders of both institutions. Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong attended the occasion as Guest-of-Honour, alongside Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs and Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad, and Mufti of Singapore, Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir.

Twenty years of building understanding and trust

  1. Established by MUIS on 7 October 2006 and officially opened by then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Harmony Centre was conceived at a time when misconceptions about Islam and Muslim communities had become more pronounced following the September 11 attacks. Housed within An-Nahdhah Mosque, the Centre was established as a welcoming space for Singaporeans of different faiths to learn about Islam, engage in open conversations and strengthen mutual understanding.

  2. Over the past two decades, Harmony Centre has welcomed more than 78,000 local and overseas visitors. What began as a centre for religious education and understanding has evolved into a platform for interfaith dialogue, relationship-building and capability development. Through learning journeys, youth dialogues, the Building Bridges Series, Abdul Aleem Siddiqui Memorial Lectures and initiatives such as Faith in the Heartlands (FAITH), the Centre has helped dispel misconceptions, foster friendships and deepen trust between communities.

  3. An-Nahdhah Mosque has been an integral part of this journey. By providing a home for Harmony Centre, the mosque has demonstrated how a place of worship can also provide opportunities for people of different faiths to meet, learn about one another and build friendships. The Gala Dinner paid tribute to the generations of religious leaders, volunteers, staff and interfaith partners who have contributed to these efforts over the past 20 years.

  4. In his address, Prime Minister Wong recognised the contributions of Harmony Centre and An-Nahdhah Mosque to Singapore’s racial and religious harmony, and emphasised the continued importance of building trust amid evolving challenges to social cohesion.

  5. Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Mr Zaqy Mohamad said: "For the past 20 years, Harmony Centre and An-Nahdhah Mosque have played an important role in bringing people of different faiths together, building understanding and forging friendships across faiths. This milestone is also a reminder that religious harmony is something we must continue to nurture together, through mutual respect, trust and care for one another. I hope more Singaporeans will carry this spirit into their everyday lives."

  6. "Harmony Centre's journey has never been its own alone," said Mr Kadir Maideen, Chief Executive of MUIS. "To our past and present leadership, our staff, our docent volunteers, and the many faith communities and partners who have walked alongside us – this milestone belongs to all of you. The trust and friendships built over the past 20 years provide a strong foundation for us to continue strengthening understanding and care across our communities."

From harmony to neighbourliness: A shared commitment

  1. A key highlight of the evening was the affirmation of the Charter on Neighbourliness by leaders from Singapore's faith communities. Developed through a collaborative process involving representatives of ten faith traditions, the Charter expresses a collective commitment to strengthen relationships across religious differences, grounded in shared values of human dignity, compassion, mutual respect, solidarity and responsibility for one another.

  2. Building on Singapore’s strong foundations of religious harmony, the Charter encourages Singaporeans to deepen their relationships through everyday acts of understanding, compassion and neighbourliness. It recognises that being good neighbours means more than respecting one another's differences. It also means taking an interest in one another’s lives, sharing in moments of joy and difficulty, and offering support when others are in need.

  3. As expressed in the Charter, "We are neighbours. We share one home and a common future." These words reflect a shared conviction that while Singaporeans may hold different beliefs and traditions, they share responsibility for the well-being of their common home. The Charter affirms values that can be embraced by people of all faiths and those without religious affiliation.

  4. The Charter reflects the spirit of partnership that has characterised Harmony Centre's work over the past two decades. Its development brought together faith representatives to draw on the wisdom of their respective religious traditions and reflect on the shared values that underpin good neighbourliness, while respecting the distinct beliefs and practices of each community. The full text of the Charter is in Annex B (opens in new tab).

J.I.R.A.N Toolkit: Bringing neighbourliness into everyday life

  1. To support Singaporeans in putting their spirit of neighbourliness into practice, Prime Minister Wong also launched the J.I.R.A.N Interfaith Engagement Toolkit (opens in new tab). Developed by Harmony Centre as part of its 20th anniversary, J.I.R.A.N stands for Joining In, Respecting All Neighbours, drawing its name from the Malay word for neighbour.

  2. The Toolkit aims to make interfaith understanding more accessible and practical by helping individuals and communities better appreciate different religious traditions and engage respectfully with people of other faiths. It complements the Charter on Neighbourliness by offering guidance that can support meaningful interactions and relationships beyond formal interfaith dialogues and organised events.

  3. The Toolkit includes a religious literacy guide covering ten faiths practised in Singapore, alongside practical guidance on visiting places of worship, dietary practices, religious festivals, funerals and appropriate ways of addressing religious leaders. It is intended as a resource for faith and community leaders, educators, religious teachers, volunteers, young adults and others involved in interfaith engagement. The Charter on Neighbourliness will also form a part of the Toolkit.

  4. Ustaz Muhammad Nasir Johari, Head of Harmony Centre, said: "J.I.R.A.N is our invitation to every Singaporean to see harmony as something they can actively shape. Through simple acts of understanding, respect and care, each of us can contribute to stronger relationships with our neighbours."

Building trust for the future

  1. As Singapore navigates an increasingly complex global environment, the work of building trust and understanding across communities remains as important as ever. While Singapore has made significant progress in strengthening racial and religious harmony, sustaining these bonds requires continued dialogue, mutual respect and the willingness to reach out to one another, even when views and beliefs differ.

  2. As Harmony Centre and An-Nahdhah Mosque enter their next chapter, the anniversary serves as both a celebration of the relationships built over the past 20 years and a reminder of the shared responsibility to sustain them. Through the Charter on Neighbourliness and J.I.R.A.N Toolkit, Harmony Centre and its interfaith partners hope to encourage more Singaporeans to strengthen the trust, friendships and everyday acts of care that keep Singapore united.

Annex A - Harmony Centre Milestones over the 20 Years [PDF, 306.07 KB] (opens in new tab)

Annex B - Declaration Text for the Charter on Neighbourliness (opens in new tab)