Above: the Jolly Beach Resort and Spa in Antigua

By the Caribbean Journal staff

CARICOM has officially begun its first-ever regional interfaith conference.

The regional conference, which started on Monday at the Jolly Beach Resort and Spa in Antigua, followed an inter-faith service on Sunday night.

The event is targeted at religious “of all faiths practiced in the community,” the regional body said, with a focus on leaders of national and regional faith-based organizations.

CARICOM said the conference was being convened in response to a request by Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Dr Baldwin Spencer.

The Antiguan leader had urged that CARICOM hold such an event prior to the upcoming Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government, which will be held next month in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

CARICOM said the purpose of the conference was to “reignite the spirit of fellowship among the Community’s religious leaders.”

“It is hoped that the conference will help to contribute to the consultative process currently being undertaken to elaborate a Strategic Plan for CARICOM and begin a process among FBOs aimed at transforming the social fabric of the Community,” CARICOM said in a statement.