Religions for Peace Calls on World Leaders to Exercise Restraint and Labor for Peace

Ominous turbulence hangs over the world, bringing the grave threat of violent conflict that would have a devastating impact on the Middle East and far beyond it.

The Middle East is the birthplace of the world’s Abrahamic faiths; it is a region endowed with rich living spiritual traditions that can help guide all people of goodwill towards Peace. This is the time for people of all beliefs and backgrounds to stand together for Peace and in active solidarity with their brothers and sisters in the Middle East.

Religions for Peace — co-led by religious leaders and representatives from around the world, including from the Middle East — respectfully and urgently calls upon the religious communities to work together in this dangerous time to ensure that the wisdom of Peace prevails. We call upon all religious and community actors, men and women of all generations, to model those principles which all faiths teach: Mercy, Compassion, and Wisdom — especially now when violent actions and the rhetoric of hate threaten the Middle East and, indeed, our world.

We also call on world leaders to exercise restraint and caution to prevent the escalation of violence and war and to labor to open a path to Peace.

In active solidarity with the religious communities and their representatives in the Middle East and all persons of goodwill, Religions for Peace around the world re-commits itself to multi-religious cooperation for peace and reconciliation.

Let us all seek together the wisdom of Peace.