LEADERSHIP
Guided by over 100 leaders
representing the world’s faith communities.
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
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
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. Young-in Sa
Executive Director, Department of International Affairs, Won Buddhism; Co-founder and co-chair of the Interfaith Coalition Conference for Global Citizens
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. 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
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
Dr. Maria Lia Zervino
President General, World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations (WUCWO)
Christian, Argentina
Commissioner M. Christine MacMillan
Senior Advisor, UN Mission & Chair World Evangelical Alliance (WEA); Co-president World Council Religions for Peace
Christian, Canada
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
