Strengthening interreligious collaboration and the influence of women worldwide: Religions for Peace hosts the conference from Lindau

(29 October 2020 | Lindau, Germany) – Several hundred participants from more than 60 countries meet virtually; a steering group meets locally in Lindau on Lake Constance: The world’s largest interreligious non-governmental organisation, Religions for Peace, is breaking new ground to encourage interreligious dialogues in difficult times. From 10 -13 November 2020, the first international Assembly specifically on women, faith and diplomacy, will be hosted from Lindau on Lake Constance, Germany.

“Religions for Peace emerged in response to the global threat posed by nuclear armament 50 years ago and has continuously demonstrated the importance of interreligious collaboration in the context of humanitarian crises and all other threats to peace. That is why it is so important now to come together and collaborate to create solutions for a more peaceful, secure and just coexistence, ”said Religions for Peace Secretary General, Prof. Dr. Azza Karam, who connected via video stream from New York on Thursday on the occasion of presenting the Assembly programme in Lindau. “The influence of women in contributing to greater peace and security around the world has grown thanks to many international efforts, including the UN Security Council Resoltion 1325, which is now in its 25th year. But the fact that religion and belief often play a decisive role in this context is mostly invisible. We want to change that, we want to show the difference women and faith make to diplomacy, ” she continued.

Under the leitmotif “Keeping Faith and Transforming Tomorrow” the participants – including women, men, and youth – will discuss the global role of women, their challenges in leadership and policy-making, and their responsibilities in multi-religious peacebuilding and international relations. “If a religious community does not understand how important the realised equality of men and women is, then its relevance will dwindle massively in the 21st century,” says Annette Schavan, Board Trustee of the Foundation Peace Dialogue of the World Religions and Civil Society.

Due to the challenge of finding new ways for international gatherings in times of COVID-19, this conference is being carried out as a hybrid model by the Foundation Peace Dialogue of World Religions and Civil Society (Ring for Peace) based in Lindau and chaired by Prof. Wolfgang Schürer, who has also been Honorary President and Trustee of Religions for Peace, since 2019, and Managing Director Ulrich Schneider. The foundation was established to convene the 10th World Assembly of Religions for Peace. The culture department of the Federal Foreign Office offered its financial and partnership support. Numerous video messages from leaders in different corners of the world are expected. The programme for the conference includes virtual meetings with delegates as well as live broadcasts and digital forms of participation.

The participants will focus on four thematic areas and develop concrete action steps to share, assess and initiate collaborations which strengthen diplomacy, focused on building just, peaceful and cohesive societies. The themes will be: leadership; peace and security; multi-religious education; and protection of the environment. Throughout the event, participants will also discuss responses to humanitarian crises (including COVID-19), namely by reviewing some of the initiatives related to the Multi-religious Humanitarian Fund, newly established by Religions for Peace, as the first fund to finance interreligious humanitarian projects worldwide.

The people of Lindau are also invited to take part in an interreligious spiritual ceremony on 11 November at the Ring for Peace, an interreligious peace symbol, built last year in Luitpoldpark. Lindau’s Lord Mayor Dr. Claudia Alfons is delighted that Religions for Peace has decided to host the conference again from Lindau. “This shows that the spirit of the conference and the often invoked spirit of Lindau, which stands for openness and hospitality, are wonderfully combined,” she said. “The conference brings a sign of peace to Lindau and from Lindau to the world.