Religions for Peace Funds Multi-religious Actions on COVID-19 in 20 Countries

Religions for Peace (RfP), the world’s largest multi-religious platform with 90 national and 6 regional affiliates, launched the “Multi-religious Humanitarian Fund” (MRHF) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The MRHF is currently financing 20 projects in 20 countries. RfP announced a new round of applications on World Humanitarian Day, as COVID-19 continues to take lives daily. Interreligious organisations, and diverse religious groups seeking to collaborate on a common project, are encouraged to apply for funding for an interreligious humanitarian project in response to COVID-19.

Funded projects were selected based on a track record of interreligious collaboration and experience providing humanitarian relief. Creative proposals raising resources to scale up services, partner with other religious and civic groups, and ensure sustainability of efforts were specifically sought.

Three of the projects, among the 20 funded thus far, include:

• Philippines: RfP’s Interfaith Youth Committee campaign to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the most vulnerable in Metro Manila, Philippines, delivered food packages, sanitation essentials, and educational pamphlets to over 400 people including garbage collectors, indigenous peoples, street sweepers, informal settlers, and displaced contractual workers, with support from eight places of worship including churches, mosques, and Buddhist temples.

• Albania: The Interreligious Council (IRC) of Albania’s coalition of Muslim, Christian, youth, and women leaders delivered food packages to 175 religiously diverse orphans and families, made vulnerable by both a recent earthquake and the economic devastation of COVID-19. Representatives from diverse religious communities, local government leaders, civil society actors, and media representatives also actively contributed.
• Mauritius: RfP’s Interreligious Council in Mauritius produced an educational booklet and video emphasizing interreligious collaboration, solidarity, and advocacy in overcoming COVID-19.  The council, compromised of Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Baháʼí and Buddhists, hosted a global webinar with 75 participants to launch the resources in partnership with the only national television channel, the Mauritius Broadcasting Cooperation (MBC), ensuring broad dissemination.

The seed grants provided by the MRHF are sponsored by the GHR Foundation, Rissho Kosei-Kai and Fetzer Institute.

Religions for Peace and its affiliated multi-religious leadership and grassroots women and youth platforms, is the only multi-religious entity in the last 50 years with both a global and national presence dedicated to human rights, sustainable development, and peace and security.