Interfaith Dialogue (Session One)
Panel Speakers
Muslim Speaker
Ustaz Dr Mohammad Hannan Hassan
Deputy Mufti, Republic of Singapore
Ustaz Dr Mohammad Hannan Hassan is presently the Deputy Mufti and Programme Head of the Postgraduate Certificate in Islam in Contemporary Societies. He completed his PhD at the Institute of Islamic Studies, McGill University Canada, with a dissertation titled Islamic Legal Thought and Practices of the 17th Century Aceh: Treating the Others. He received his MA in Islamic Civilisation from the International Institute of Islamic Though and Civilisation (ISTAC), Kuala Lumpur. He holds a Bachelor of Education (Honours) First Class with Distinction from Kuwait, majoring in Arabic Language and Islamic Education.
Christian Speaker
Reverend Terry Kee
Lutheran Pastor and Former Bishop
Reverend Terry Kee, Pastor of Jurong Christian Church (Chinese), an alumnus of Singapore Bible College, has been a Pastor of the Lutheran Church in Singapore since 1982.
Through the years, he had served as Pastor of Bedok Lutheran Church, Queenstown Lutheran Church, Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer, and Jurong Christian Church. He and his wife, Sally, were missionaries to Thailand from 1996 to 2005. He was elected Bishop of the Lutheran Church in Singapore 2009. He stepped down in 2021 after completing three terms of service as Bishop.
Jewish Speaker
Rabbi Mordechai Abergel
Chief Rabbi, Jewish Community in Singapore
Rabbi Mordechai Abergel was born in France in 1968 and grew up in Belgium. He studied at the Rabbinical College in Morristown, New Jersey. In 1992, Rabbi Abergel received his smicha at the Tomchei Tmimim Rabbinical Seminary in Brooklyn, New York. The Rabbi is constantly involved in promoting Jewish education and Jewish living. He is currently the Principal of the Talmud Torah Hebrew School. He has also initiated the highly successful Yeshiva Youth Leadership Programme, which has brought a new vibrancy and depth to Singapore.
Seeing the need for more meaningful social interaction among the diverse segments of the community, the Rabbi initiated Gesher, a group that encourages Jewish awareness and adult education through guest speakers and other events. The Rabbi has also been actively involved in the inter-religious organisation in Singapore, a group that encourages religious harmony and mutual understanding. Rabbi Abergel served as the Vice President in 1997. The Rabbi lectures widely on Judaism in Singapore , which he feels is essential to provide exposure and understanding of our views towards issues facing the world today. In whatever forum, the Rabbi comes across eloquently.
Moderator
Nazhath Faheema
Founder and President, hash.peace
Nazhath Faheema is the Founder and President of hash.peace - a youth-led advocacy organisation dedicated to the work of sustainable social harmony in Singapore. She is also the Chairperson of Jamiyah Singapore (Muslim Missionary Society of Singapore).
Faheema is engaged in activating inter-belief and inter-ethnic conversations that enable a more potent social cohesion. She also undertakes efforts to counter extremist ideologies and exclusive mindsets that are harmful to the unity of people.
Faheema has been recognised as Gen. T List Honouree by Tatler Asia for the awareness she creates through her advocacy and as a Changemaker Alumni by Singapore Management University for her passionate work in promoting racial and religious harmony.
Faheema is currently pursuing her Masters in Asian Studies at S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS).