Religions for Peace

Religions for Peace is an international coalition of representatives from the world’s major religious traditions working together on peacebuilding and shared humanitarian objectives. Established in 1970, the organization provides a platform through which religious leaders and communities can cooperate across doctrinal boundaries on issues including conflict prevention, reconciliation, displacement, gender equality, human security, sustainable development, and the protection of vulnerable populations. The organization’s model is based on the proposition that religious communities can be practical peacebuilding actors rather than only observers of political conflict. Its work therefore emphasizes collaboration among faith traditions, local ownership, dialogue, and the use of religious and community networks to support mediation, social cohesion, humanitarian assistance, and advocacy. Religions for Peace works through regional structures and national or local Interreligious Councils, enabling religious representatives to coordinate action in settings where they may have substantial social reach and public legitimacy. Its International Secretariat is based in New York City, while regional activity is organized through interreligious structures covering Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. The organization also maintains engagement with multilateral institutions and has consultative relationships with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, UNESCO, and UNICEF. These relationships support its participation in international discussions concerning peace, development, education, children, and humanitarian affairs. Major program areas include women’s leadership, humanitarian response, interfaith cooperation, and the strengthening of religious networks for peace. The Global Women of Faith Network brings together women from different religious traditions through an international coordinating committee. In 2023, Religions for Peace introduced the Women of Excellence in Multi-Religious Action Award to recognize women of faith and women-led initiatives contributing to peacebuilding and interreligious cooperation. The organization’s Multireligious Humanitarian Fund was created during the COVID-19 pandemic and continued to support grassroots, multi-faith humanitarian projects. Reported examples include assistance for refugees and internally displaced people in Cameroon through the Cameroonian Association for Interreligious Dialogue, as well as support for displaced people affected by the war in Ukraine through Malteser International and the Order of Malta’s worldwide relief network. Religions for Peace has also convened international gatherings focused on the contribution of faith communities to diplomacy and peace. Its first Assembly on Women, Faith, and Diplomacy took place in November 2020 and addressed leadership, gender equality, values-based education, and women’s role in diplomatic and peacebuilding processes. The organization’s public profile has included international recognition and nominations, including a 2020 nomination for the Freedom of Worship Four Freedoms Award. In the same year, Religions for Peace’s Bishop Munib Younan shared the Sunhak Peace Prize with Senegalese President Macky Sall. Leadership of the International Secretariat has included William F. Vendley, Azza Karam, and, from February 2024, Francis Kuria Kagema, who was appointed Secretary General by the World Council. Religions for Peace remains an active international civil-society and interfaith organization rather than a conventional consumer brand, with its identity centered on convening, representation, advocacy, and practical cooperation among religious communities.

Religions for Peace was established in 1970 as an international effort to bring religious communities into sustained cooperation for peace. Rather than operating as a single-faith institution, it developed as a coalition representing multiple religious traditions. Its central premise is that faith communities possess moral authority, local networks, community institutions, and conflict-resolution resources that can contribute to peace when organized across religious boundaries. Over time, the organization built a structure connecting an International Secretariat with regional interreligious bodies and Interreligious Councils. These networks operate across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. They allow religious leaders and community representatives to coordinate responses to local and international challenges, including armed conflict, communal tension, displacement, poverty, humanitarian emergencies, and discrimination. The structure also gives the organization a mechanism for linking grassroots initiatives with international advocacy. Religions for Peace’s international engagement has included consultative relationships with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, UNESCO, and UNICEF. Through these relationships and its conferences, it has presented interfaith cooperation as relevant to peace and security, development, education, children’s welfare, gender equality, and humanitarian protection. Women’s participation became an increasingly visible part of the organization’s work. The Global Women of Faith Network is coordinated by an International Women’s Coordinating Committee comprising women from different faith traditions. In November 2020, Religions for Peace held its first Assembly on Women, Faith, and Diplomacy. The gathering brought together representatives of governments, civil society, and multilateral institutions to discuss leadership, gender equality, values-inspired education, and women’s contribution to diplomacy. In 2023, the organization launched the Women of Excellence in Multi-Religious Action Award to highlight women-led peacebuilding and interfaith initiatives. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted the creation of the Multireligious Humanitarian Fund. The fund supported multi-faith projects in multiple countries and continued beyond the initial emergency period. Its reported activities included aid for refugees and internally displaced people in Cameroon, coordinated by the Cameroonian Association for Interreligious Dialogue, and assistance for displaced people in Ukraine implemented by Malteser International and the Order of Malta’s worldwide relief network. These activities illustrate the organization’s emphasis on practical cooperation rather than dialogue alone. Religions for Peace has also received or participated in international recognition. In 2020, Bishop Munib Younan, associated with the organization, shared the Sunhak Peace Prize with Senegalese President Macky Sall. Religions for Peace was also nominated for the Freedom of Worship Four Freedoms Award during the same year. Leadership of the International Secretariat changed during the early 2020s. Azza Karam served as Secretary General from August 2019 until June 2023, following William F. Vendley. In February 2024, the World Council appointed Dr. Francis Kuria Kagema as Secretary General. The organization continues to operate from New York City through a networked international model that combines global convening, regional coordination, interfaith advocacy, women’s leadership, and humanitarian action.

• 2024

  Francis Kuria Kagema appointed Secretary General

  [1]Religions for Peaceen.wikipedia.org

  The World Council appointed Dr. Francis Kuria Kagema as Secretary General in February 2024.

• 2023

  Women of Excellence in Multi-Religious Action Award introduced

  [1]Religions for Peaceen.wikipedia.org

  Religions for Peace launched an award recognizing women of faith and women-led interreligious peacebuilding work.

• 2020

  Multireligious Humanitarian Fund developed during the pandemic

  [1]Religions for Peaceen.wikipedia.org

  The organization launched a multi-faith humanitarian funding mechanism during the COVID-19 period to support grassroots projects in several countries.

• 2020

  First Assembly on Women, Faith, and Diplomacy

  [1]Religions for Peaceen.wikipedia.org

  The first assembly was held from November 10 to 13 and focused on women’s leadership, equality, education, and diplomacy.

• 2019

  Azza Karam became Secretary General

  [1]Religions for Peaceen.wikipedia.org

  Azza Karam began her term as Secretary General in August 2019, succeeding William F. Vendley.

• 1970

  Organization founded

  [1]Religions for Peaceen.wikipedia.org

  Religions for Peace was established as an international coalition of representatives from different religious traditions committed to advancing world peace.

A global interfaith peacebuilding network that converts religious diversity into coordinated action for peace, humanitarian protection, reconciliation, and inclusive development.

• Network and peacebuilding platform

  Interreligious Councils

  Regional and national Interreligious Councils are a core operating mechanism of Religions for Peace. They bring together representatives of different faith traditions to coordinate dialogue, peacebuilding, advocacy, and community action. The network spans six broad global regions and is intended to connect international priorities with locally grounded religious and civil-society initiatives.

• Women’s leadership network

  Global Women of Faith Network

  The Global Women of Faith Network is a cross-religious women’s collective led by an International Women’s Coordinating Committee. It provides a platform for women from different traditions to participate in peacebuilding, interfaith cooperation, leadership, and policy-oriented work.

• Humanitarian fund · 2020

  Multireligious Humanitarian Fund

  Created during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Multireligious Humanitarian Fund supports multi-faith humanitarian projects. Reported examples include assistance to refugees and internally displaced people in Cameroon and crisis response for displaced populations in Ukraine. The fund is designed to channel support through local or partner organizations working across religious communities.

• International convening · 2020

  Assembly on Women, Faith, and Diplomacy

  This international assembly convenes leaders from government, civil society, religious communities, and multilateral institutions to examine how women and faith-based actors contribute to diplomacy and peace. Its thematic agenda has included leadership, gender equality, values-inspired education, and women’s participation in diplomatic processes.

• 2023Women of Excellence in Multi-Religious Action Award

  International

  Religions for Peace launched an award to recognize women of faith and women-led initiatives that advance peacebuilding and interreligious cooperation.

  Source
• 2020Assembly on Women, Faith, and Diplomacy

  International

  Religions for Peace convened its first assembly on women, faith, and diplomacy from November 10 to 13, 2020. The program brought together public-sector, civil-society, religious, and multilateral participants to discuss women’s leadership, equality, education, and diplomacy.

  Outcome. The assembly established a prominent international platform for discussing women’s role in faith-based peacebuilding and diplomatic cooperation.

  Source
• 2020Multireligious Humanitarian Fund

  Cameroon · Ukraine · International

  The fund was created during the COVID-19 pandemic to support humanitarian projects implemented through multi-faith partnerships and grassroots organizations.

  Outcome. The fund continued supporting projects after the initial pandemic response, including refugee and displacement assistance in Cameroon and Ukraine.

  Source

• 2023

  Created a women’s interreligious action awardStrategy

  Background

  The organization’s women’s network and broader peacebuilding agenda emphasized the contribution of women from different faith traditions.

  Action taken

  Religions for Peace introduced the Women of Excellence in Multi-Religious Action Award.

  Aftermath

  The award created a formal recognition mechanism for women-led peacebuilding and interfaith initiatives.

  Source

• 2020

  Expanded humanitarian action through a multi-faith fundStrategy

  Background

  The COVID-19 pandemic created urgent humanitarian needs and increased pressure on civil-society networks to deliver assistance across communities.

  Action taken

  Religions for Peace established the Multireligious Humanitarian Fund to support coordinated projects involving multiple faith communities.

  Aftermath

  The fund continued beyond the pandemic’s initial emergency phase and supported reported initiatives for displaced people in Cameroon and Ukraine.

  Source

1. 1Religions for Peaceen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Religions for Peace official websiterfp.org