Religions for Peace World Council Joins the Call for “Global Interfaith Prayer and Initiative for Human Fraternity”

Religions for Peace World Council, representing the world’s diverse religious traditions, joins His Holiness Pope Francis and His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, in the call for all to observe together a day of prayer, fasting and charity in the face of the coronavirus pandemic on 14 May.

We call all peoples around the world, respectful of their own faith traditions, to do good deeds, observe fast, pray, and make devout supplications to the Sacred to rescue us all from this adversity, to inspire scientists to find a cure, and to nurture one another as we all face the diverse repercussions of this serious pandemic.

We are united in our commitment that our Religions for Peace Interreligious Councils and our religious communities, will continue to provide life-saving messages, support the most vulnerable, counter stigma and discrimination, and offer spiritual and emotional care and support for children, the elderly, refugees and those experiencing disruption and distress.

We encourage international collaboration to respond effectively to the human and environmental needs generated by this crisis.  It is important to support the necessary scientific capacities to find the vaccines and treatments, and to guarantee the universal access to essential treatments that permit every infected person, in every part of the world, to receive the necessary health cures, and to prevent the recurrence of this virus.

We are united in our belief, hope and solidarity that our common struggle and efforts to address it with strong spiritual and practical means, will transform our world into a more peaceful, equitable and fraternal one in harmony with Nature.

Signatories:

Dr. Vinu Aram, Director, Shanti Ashram; Co-Moderator, Religions for Peace
Shaykh Abdallah Bin Bayyah, President, Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies, Abu Dhabi; Co-Moderator, Religions for Peace
H.E. Metropolitan Emmanuel Adamakis, Metropolitan of France Ecumenical Patriarchate; Co-Moderator, Religions for Peace
Rev. Kosho Niwano, President-Designate, Rissho Kosei-Kai; Co-Moderator, Religions for Peace
Mr. Robert A. Boisture, President and CEO, The Fetzer Institute; Treasurer, Religions for Peace
Prof. Azza Karam, Secretary General, Religions for Peace
H.M. Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, Sultan of Sokoto, Sultanate of Sokoto; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Hon. Mme. Layla Alkhafaji, Elected Member of Political Bureau-Alhikmah Movement; Former Member of Iraqi Council of Representatives – Parliament; Former International Relations Director – Al Hakim Foundation; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Sheikh Usama Al-Sayed Al-Azhari, Al-Azhar Representative; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Mohammad Al-Sammak, Secretary General, Islamic Christian National Dialogue Committee Co-President, Religions for Peace; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Swami Atmapriyananda, Vice Chancellor of Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University; Co-President, Religions for Peace
H.H. Dah Couchoro Balogoun, President, National Voudon Council of Benin; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Most Ven. Phra Brahmapundit (Prayoon Dhammacitto), Former rector, Maha Chulalongkorn Buddhist University; Member, Sangha Supreme Council of Thailand; Co-President, Religions for Peace
H.E. Cardinal Charles Bo, Archbishop of Yangon, Myanmar; Co-President, Religions for Peace
H.E. Archimandrite Philaret Bulekov, Vice Chairman, Department of External Church Relations, Russian Orthodox Church; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Most. Rev. Miguel Cabrejos, President, Latin American Catholic Episcopal Council; Co-President, Religions for Peace
H.E. Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, United States; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Sayadaw Dr. K. Dhammasami, Oxford Buddha Vihara; The International Association of Buddhist Universities; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Most Ven. Kotugoda Dhammawasa, Supreme Patriarch of Amarapura Nikaya; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Ayatollah Ahmad Moballeghi, Rector, University of Islamic Religions of Iran; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Dr. Souraya Bechealany, General Secretary, Middle East Council of Churches; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Ms. Bani Dugal, Principal Representative to the United Nations, Bahá’í International Community; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Mr. Claudio Epelman, Commissioner for Interfaith Relations, World Jewish Congress; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Hon. Ela Gandhi, Trustee, Gandhi Development Trust; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Mr. Homi Gandhi, President, Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America; Co-President, Religions for Peace
H.E. Dr. Nedzad Grabus, Mufti of Ljubjana; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Ven. Li Guangfu, President, Chinese Taoist Association; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Sheikh Muhammed Yusuf Hallar, Secretary General, Islamic Organization for Latin America and the Caribbean; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Sheikh Hamza Yusuf Hanson, Founder, Zaytuna Institute; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Rev. Dr. Antje Jackelen, Lutheran Archbishop of Uppsala; Primate of the Church of Sweden; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Bishop Margot Kässmann, Former Chairperson, Evangelical Church of Germany; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Ven. Hyo Chul Kim, Chairperson, Won Dharma Center in New York; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Hon. Mehrezia Labidi-Maiza, First Vice-President, Constitutional Assembly; Secretary, Association for Women’s Progress; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Imam Mohamed Magid, Executive Imam, All Dulles Area Muslim Society Center; Chairman, International Interfaith Peace Corps; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Prof. Dr. Haedar Nashir, Chair, Muhammadiyah, Indonesia; Co-President, Religions for Peace
H.E. Cardinal Dieudonné Nzapalainga, Archbishop of Bangui, Central African Republic; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Mrs. Aruna Oswal, Vice President, World Jain Confederation; Co-President, Religions for Peace
H.E. Philippe Cardinal Ouédraogo, President, Symposium of African and Madagascar Bishops’ Conferences (SECAM); Archbishop of Ouagadougou; Co-President, RfP
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
Prof. Anantanand Rambachan, Professor of Religion, St. Olaf College; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Grand-Father Dominique Rankin, Algonquin Hereditary Grand Chief; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Chief Rabbi David Rosen, KSG CBE, International Director, Department of Interreligious Affairs, American Jewish Committee; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh, OBE KSG, Chairman, Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Prof. Dr. Said Aqil Sirad, Chairman, Nahdlatul Ulama; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Bishop Mary Ann Swenson, Bishop, United Methodist Church; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Serigne Mansour Sy, President, Federation of Islamic Associations of Senegal; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Dr. Nayla Tabbara, Co-Founder, Adyan Foundation; Co-President, Religions for Peace
H.E. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Archbishop of Manila, Philippines; President, Caritas; Co-President, Religions for Peace
H.H. Shri Shri Sugunendra Teertha Swamiji, Abbot, Sri Puthige Matha Monastery; Co-President, Religions for Peace
H.H. Samdech Tep Vong, Great Supreme Patriarch, Kingdom of Cambodia; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Bishop Efraim Tendero, Secretary General, World Evangelical Alliance; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Master Ven. Yanjue, Executive Vice President, China Buddhist Association; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Ms. Maria Lia Zervino, President General, World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Dr. William F. Vendley, Secretary General Emeritus, Religions for Peace
H.E. Raymundo Cardinal Damasceno Assis, Archbishop Emeritus of Aparecida, Sao Paulo; Moderator, Religions for Peace – Latin America and Caribbean Council of Religious Leaders
H.E. Sheikh Shaban Mubaje, Grand Mufti, Uganda Muslim Supreme Council; Co-Moderator, Religions for Peace – African Council of Religious Leaders
Prof. Dr. Din Syamsuddin, Chairman, Advisory Council of Indonesian Council of Ulama; Moderator, Asian Conference of Religions for Peace
Rev. Dr. Thomas Wipf, President, Community of Protestant Churches in Europe; Moderator, Religions for Peace – European Council of Religious Leaders
Sr. Agatha Chikelue, Co-Chair, Nigerian Women of Faith Network, Nigeria; Secretary of the Interreligious Dialogue Office of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja; Chair, International Women’s Coordinating Committee, Religions for Peace
Rev. Megumi Wada, Director, International Interreligious Cooperation, Rissho Kosei-kai, Japan; Former Director of General Affairs, Religions for Peace Japan; Deputy Chair, International Women’s Coordinating Committee, Religions for Peace
Mr. Renz Argao, Community Development Coordinator, University of Santo Tomas Graduate School; Coordinator, International Youth Committee, Religions for Peace
Ms. Ana-Maria Daou, Interreligious Dialogue Mapping, Adyan Foundation; Deputy Coordinator, International Youth Committee, Religions for Peace

Religions for Peace‘s affiliated Interreligious Councils (IRCs) are also joining the “Global Interfaith Prayer and Initiative for Human Fraternity” within their own national contexts.