An Inspiring Example of Religious Co-Existence

Religious tolerance has long been achieved in the West African country of Sierra Leone, where Muslims and Christians have cohabitated peacefully for generations.

“Sierra Leone is unique when it comes to religion,” explains Mariama Binta Caulker, a pastor’s wife. “We believe that Christians and Muslims have no differences. What is most important is our hearts.”

About 77% of Sierra Leone’s population identify as Muslims, while 22% identify as Christians. Sierra Leoneans have close social bounds with people of other religions, with interreligious mixing – within families or friendships – a common thing. They greatly respect people of different religions, seeing them as equals. In a Muslim-majority country, Julius Maada Bio, a Christian president, was reelected last year, and his wife Fatima is a Muslim. Many African nations have a deep-rooted culture of religious tolerance, with 8 African Muslim-majority countries protecting the right to religious freedom, including Senegal, Gambia, and Sierra Leone.