Kpandebu Dama Town, Kenema District, Tuesday, 30 December 2025 – His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio, accompanied by First Lady Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, has attended a sub-regional Muslim prayer conference organised by the Sierra Leone chapter of the Kormende Progressive Union, where he strongly condemned all forms of religious violence and hate speech.
The conference, which rotates among the four Mano River Basin countries, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea, and Côte d’Ivoire, brought together Islamic scholars, clerics, and delegates to offer prayers of thanksgiving to Allah for peace, life, and unity. Prayers were also offered for the leadership and people of the four countries, as well as for continued stability in the sub-region.
In his goodwill message, President Bio thanked delegates from Liberia, Guinea, and Côte d’Ivoire for honouring the invitation, describing the gathering as a meaningful and fitting way to end the year in prayer and gratitude. He noted that the conference demonstrated how religion can unite people across borders in a world increasingly marked by division.
“This is not just a religious gathering, it is a gathering dedicated to Allah,” the President said, noting that people from across the Mano River Basin had come together to thank God for His mercies throughout 2025.
President Bio emphasised that genuine knowledge of the Holy Qur’an or the Bible discourages violence and intolerance, urging religious leaders to avoid spreading hate messages within their congregations. He called on Islamic scholars in the sub-region to use their influence to promote peace, tolerance, and mutual respect.
Commending Sierra Leone’s long-standing tradition of religious coexistence, the President highlighted the country’s strong interfaith relations, noting shared worship spaces, inter-marriages, and mutual respect among Christians and Muslims. He encouraged other nations to draw lessons from Sierra Leone’s example of religious harmony.
President Bio reaffirmed his government’s commitment to protecting religious freedom and promoting peaceful coexistence, pledging continued support for initiatives that foster unity and social cohesion. He urged citizens of the Mano River Basin to live together in peace and harmony, irrespective of religious, political, or regional differences.
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