LEADERSHIP

Guided by over 100 leaders
representing the world’s faith communities.

World Council

The World Council serves as the global leadership body of Religions for Peace, facilitating multi-level multi-religious action that includes the empowerment and equipping-for-action of national and regional Interreligious Councils (IRCs), Interfaith Youth Networks (IYNs) and Women of Faith Networks (WoFNs).

Co-Moderators

Dr. Vinu Aram

President, Shanti Ashram; Co-Moderator, Religions for Peace

Hindu, India

Shaykh Dr. Abdallah Bin Bayyah

President, Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies, Abu Dhabi; Co-Moderator, Religions for Peace

Muslim, United Arab Emirates

H.E. Metropolitan Emmanuel

Elder Metropolitan of Chalcedon; Co-Moderator, Religions for Peace

Christian, Turkey

Rev. Kosho Niwano

President-Designate, Rissho Kosei-Kai; Co-Moderator, Religions for Peace

Buddhist, Japan

Secretary General

Dr. Francis Kuria Kagema

Secretary General, Religions for Peace International; Secretary General – African Council of Religious Leaders – Religions for Peace

Treasurer

Mr. Robert Boisture

President and CEO, The Fetzer Institute; Treasurer, Religions for Peace

United States

Co-Presidents

H.E. Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam

Senior Representative of His Eminence Grand Imam of Al-Azhar; Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders; Co-President, Religions for Peace

Muslim, Egypt

Dr. Michel Abs

Secretary General, Middle East Council of Churches (MECC); Co-President, Religions for Peace

Lebanon

H.M. Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III

Sultan of Sokoto, Sultanate of Sokoto; Co-President, Religions for Peace

Muslim, Nigeria

Dr. Pritpal Kaur Ahluwalia

Faith and Religious Education Lead, Nishkam School of Trust; Co-President, Religions for Peace

Sikh, United States

Hon. Dr. Layla Alkhafaji

Elected Member of Political Bureau-Alhikmah Movement; Former Member of Iraqi Council of Representatives – Parliament; Former International Relations Director – Al Hakim Foundation

Muslim, Iraq

Dr. Mohammad Al-Sammak

Secretary General, Islamic Christian National Dialogue Committee; Co-President, Religions for Peace

Muslim, Lebanon

Dr. Swami Atmapriyananda

Senior Monk, Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission; Co-President, Religions for Peace

Hindu, India

H.H. Dah Couchoro Balogoun

President, National Voudon Council of Benin; Honorary President, Religions for Peace

Indigenous, Benin

H.E. Cardinal Charles Bo

Archbishop of Yangon, Myanmar; President, Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conference; Co-President, Religions for Peace

Christian, Myanmar

Most Ven. Dr. Phra Brahmapundit (Prayoon Dhammacitto)

Former rector, Maha Chulalongkorn Buddhit University; Member, Sangha Supreme Council of Thailand; Co-President, Religions for Peace

Buddhist, Thailand

H.E. Archimandrite Philaret Bulekov

Vice Chairman, Department of External Church Relations, Russian Orthodox Church; Co-President, Religions for Peace

Christian, Russia

Most. Rev. Archbishop Miguel Cabrejos

President, Latin American Catholic Episcopal Council (CELAM); Co-President, Religions for Peace

Christian, Peru

H.E. Cardinal Blasé J. Cupich

Archbishop of Chicago, United States; Co-President, Religions for Peace

Christian, United States

Sayadaw Dr. K. Dhammasami

Oxford Buddha Vihara; The International Association of Buddhist Universities; Co-President, Religions for Peace

Buddhist, Myanmar/UK

Ms. Bani Dugal

Principal Representative to the United Nations, Bahá’í International Community; Co-President, Religions for Peace

Bahá’í, United States

Mr. Claudio Epelman

Executive Director of the Latin American Jewish Congress, branch of the World Jewish Congress; Representative to the Holy See of the World Jewish Congress; Co-President, Religions for Peace

Jewish, Argentina

Hon. Ela Gandhi

Trustee, Gandhi Development Trust; Co-President of Religions for Peace

Hindu, South Africa

Mr. Homi Gandhi

Former President, Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America; Co-President, Religions for Peace

Zoroastrian, United States

H.E. Dr. Nedzad Grabus

Mufti of Sarajevo, Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina; Co-President, Religions for Peace

Muslim, Slovenia

Ven. Li Guangfu

President, Chinese Taoist Association; Vice President, China Committee on Religions and Peace (CCRP); Co-President, Religions for Peace

Taoist, China

Sheikh Muhammed Yusuf Hallar

Secretary General, Islamic Organization for Latin America and the Caribbean; Co-President, Religions for Peace

Muslim, Argentina

Sheikh Dr. Hamza Yusuf Hanson

Founder, Zaytuna Institute; Co-President, Religions for Peace

Muslim, United States

Ms. Sheran Harper

Special Representative of Archbishop Justin Welby; Worldwide President and Chair of the Board of Trustees for Mothers’ Union

Christian, Guyana

Elder Matthew S. Holland

General Authority Seventy, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Ven. Hyo Chul Kim

Chairperson, Won Dharma Center in New York Co-President, Religions for Peace

Buddhist, South Korea

Imam Mohamed Magid

Executive Imam, All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) Center; Chairman, International Interfaith Peace Corps (IIPC) Co-President, Religions for Peace

Muslim, United States

Ayatollah Ahmad Moballeghi

Rector, University of Islamic Religions of Iran; Co-President, Religions for Peace

Muslim, Iran

Dr. Haedar Nashir

Chair, Muhammadiyah, Indonesia Co-President, Religions for Peace

Muslim, Indonesia

H.E. Cardinal Dieudonné Nzapalainga*

Archbishop of Bangui, Central African Republic Co-President, Religions for Peace

Christian, Central African Republic

Dr. Aruna Oswal

Chairperson, Abhey Oswal Group & Aruna Abhey Oswal Trust; Vice President, World Jain Confederation; Boardmember, PHD Family Welfare Foundation; Trustee, Loomba Foundation; Chairperson, Indian Council for Human Relations; Co-President and International Trustee, Religions for Peace

Jain, India

H.E. Cardinal Philippe Ouédraogo

President, Symposium of African and Madagascar Bishops' Conferences (SECAM); Archbishop of Ouagadougou

Christian, Burkina Faso

Reverend Jerry Pillay

General Secretary of the World Council of Churches; Co-President, Religions for Peace

Dr. Elizabeth H. Prodromou

Director, Initiative on Religion, Law and Diplomacy, The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University Co-President, Religions for Peace

Orthodox, United States

Dr. Anantanand Rambachan

Professor of Religion, St. Olaf College Co-President, Religions for Peace

Hindu, India

Grand-Father Dominique Rankin

Algonquin Hereditary Grand Chief Co-President, Religions for Peace

Indigenous, Canada

Chief Rabbi David Rosen

Special Advisor to the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi; Co-President, Religions for Peace

Jewish, Israel

H.E. Dr. Koutoub Moustapha Sano

Secretary, International Islamic Fiqh Academy; Co-President, Religions for Peace

Muslim

Dr. Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati

President, Divine Shakti Foundation; Secretary General, Global Interfaith WASH Alliance; Co-President, Religions for Peace

Hindu, India

H.E. Dr. Thomas Schirrmacher

Secretary General of the World Evangelical Alliance

Christian, Germany

H.E. Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh

Chairman, Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha; Co-President and Trustee, Religions for Peace

Sikh, United Kingdom

K.H. Yahya Cholil Staquf

General Chairman, Nahdlatul Ulama, Religions for Peace

H.H. Shri Shri Sugunendra Teertha Swamiji

Sri Putige Matha Monastery Chairman, Somaiya Vidyavihar Co-President of Religions for Peace

Hindu, India

H.E. Bishop Mary Ann Swenson

Bishop, United Methodist Church Co-President, Religions for Peace

Christian, United States

Serigne Mansour Sy

President, Federation of Islamic Associations of Senegal Co-President, Religions for Peace

Muslim, Senagal

Dr. Nayla Tabbara

President, Adyan Foundation; Co-President, Religions for Peace

Muslim, Lebanon

H.E. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle

Prefect, Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples; Co-President, Religions for Peace

Christian, Phillipines

Master Ven. Yanjue

Executive Vice President, China Buddhist Association Vice President, China Committee on Religions and Peace (CCRP) Co-President, Religions for Peace

Buddhist, China

Most Revd. Justin Welby

The Most Reverend Justin Welby, by Divine Providence Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of All England and Metropolitan

Christian, UK

Dr. Maria Lia Zervino

President General, World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations (WUCWO)

Christian, Argentina

Regional Moderators

H.E. Raymundo Cardinal Damasceno Assis

Archbishop Emeritus of Aparecida, Sao Paulo, Archdiocese of Aparecida, Sao Paulo; Moderator, Religions for Peace-Latin America and Caribbean Council of Religious Leaders

Christian, Brazil

Emeritus Professor Desmond Cahill

Chair, Religions for Peace Australia; Moderator, Asian Conference of Religions for Peace; Honorary President, Religions for Peace Australia; Emeritus Professor of Intercultural Studies, RMIT University, Melbourne; Foundation Member, Police Multifaith Council; Board Member, Australian Multicultural Community Services

H.E. Sheikh Shaban Mubaje

Grand Mufti, Uganda Muslim Supreme Council; Co-Moderator, Religions for Peace-African Council of Religious Leaders

Muslim, Uganda

Dr. Luigi De Salvia

President, Religions for Peace-Italia; President, Religions for Peace-Europe; Moderator, Religions for Peace-Europe

International Women's Coordinating Committee Representatives

Rev. Sr. Agatha Ogochukwu Chikelue

Nun of the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy; Co-Chair Nigerian & African Women of Faith Network; Executive Director Cardinal Onaiyekan Foundation for Peace (COFP)

Christian, NIGERIA

Rev. Megumi Wada

Director, International Interreligious Cooperation, Rissho Kosei-kai, Japan; Former Director of General Affairs, RfP Japan

Buddhist, JAPAN

International Youth Committee Representatives

Dr. Renz C. Argao

President & CEO, Argao Health Inc. ; Moderator, Asia & the Pacific Interfaith Youth Network; Coordinator, Religions for Peace International Youth Committee

Christianity, Philippines

Ms. Emina Frljak

Program Coordinator, Youth for Peace; Deputy Coordinator, International Youth Committee

Islam, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Secretary General Emeritus

Dr. William F. Vendley

Secretary General Emeritus, Religions for Peace International

United States

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