Calls from the UAE-based Higher Committee of Human Fraternity to pray for humanity on 14th May saw overwhelming response, as millions of people of all races, colours, ethnicities, and nationalities around the world stood together in an unprecedented event to pray, fast and supplicate to God for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic, and to guide and inspire scientists to find a vaccine.

From the moment the HCHF announced its great initiative in 14 languages, the call gained the blessing, support and participation of the two most prominent religious leaders in the world; His Eminence Dr. Ahmed El-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, His Holiness Pope Francis, Pope of the Catholic Church, and several kings, presidents, leaders, and leading political, religious, and media figures from all the world.

The HCHF called on religious leaders and the faithful around the world to engage in a day of fasting, prayers and supplications for the good of all humanity on Thursday 14th May, for an end to the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, pandemic, to inspire scientists to find a cure that can turn back this disease, and to save the whole world from the health, economic, and human repercussions of this serious pandemic.

Since the initiative was launched on 2nd May, it elicited an enthusiastic response from millions of people around the world for the largest gathering of humanity. The event was accompanied by unprecedented coverage by digital and conventional media and in many languages of the world, and through the Committee’s social media accounts with two hashtags in Arabic and English, #صلاة_من_أجل_الإنسانية and #PrayForHumanity to allow people to interact and share their videos, photos and posts.

The two hashtags went viral and became world-trending topics on social media platforms, attracting more than 36 billion likes since 2nd May up to Friday morning in many countries of the world including France, Germany, India, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Spain, Egypt, and Italy.

The HCHF also launched its official website of the "Pray for Humanity" initiative (pray.forhumanfraternity.org), which provided live coverage of the day and served as a digital archive.

The HCHF, a group of influential figures of diverse religious and cultural backgrounds and experts in the fields of Inter-culture communication, interfaith dialogue and social coexistence, was established to implement the humanitarian principles advocated by the Document on Human Fraternity and engage all religious and international organisations in the process to achieve peace, coexistence, global citizenship and human fraternity.

WAM