WHAT IS NATIONAL FORGIVENESS WEEK (NFW) ?

  • National Forgiveness Week is an 8-day week, running from Sunday to Sunday annually where people, both in churches and across the entire population, are exposed to the value of interpersonal one-on-one forgiveness.
  • National Forgiveness Week focuses on forgiving one another. During the week people are reminded to forgive offences and settle differences.
  • The best way to get the message of forgiveness out to needy people is through storytelling (personal testimonies) by those who have themselves forgiven and been forgiven.
  • NFW applies to forgiving more than significant and traumatic wrongdoing. It also applies to the little insignificant offences and subtle attitudes that regularly arise in our hearts and decimate harmonious relationships.
  • On the first Sunday, churches teach on the topic of forgiveness and encourage its practise amongst their congregations, families and all relationships where offences and hurts might be resolved.
  • During the following six days church leaders teach forgiveness in their surrounding communities.
  • On the final Sunday churches celebrate the joys of forgiveness.
  • NFW is held annually because people are apt to forget the value of forgiveness and simply need a refresher.
  • NFW is a framework around which issues of personal forgiveness can be exercised. It is an initiative to be taken by visionaries within individual nations and built to fit into national culture and customs. Thus, it may look different for each nation.
  • NFW is not a fixed program which can be imported, or a one-size-fits-all event. It can grow and develop from the ground up in different ways through various institutions and collaborations. Or, ideally, it can be introduced as a high-level church/state initiative.