Reviving the Spiritual Nature of Every Human Being
Background
The world has long prized peace. Yet, we’ve often pursued it in misguided ways. Governments seek programs, not peace. Businesses seek profit, not peace. Populaces put their trust in politics, not peace. And many, many people prioritize power and personal gain over peace.
As a result, conflicts and crises persist. For every war that ends, unresolved tensions inevitably seem to remain. In just the past century alone, World War I, once touted as “the war to end all wars, “ contributed to the even more devastating World War II. And today, there are nearly 60 conflicts involving more than 90 countries outside their borders, several with long histories rooted in international frameworks and agreements that were once working to secure peace, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Initiative Overview
Founded in 1970, Religions for Peace is an international organization dedicated to a disruptive idea. It contends that achieving peace – real, soulful, lasting peace – requires a heartfelt, soul-rooted recognition that all people in all parts of the world are equal members of the same human family, that we all want and deserve peace, justice, and goodwill. This means that, instead of generating self-interest and divisiveness, religions – unlike governments, businesses, programs, and politics – can and should be central agents in our move toward global peace.
“Long before there was a government, there have been – and will always be – places of worship. Religions for Peace is where the world’s religions join to ensure that all people enjoy peace, harmony, and prosperity,” says Dr. Francis Kuria, Secretary General of Religions for Peace International.
Through compassionate, caring efforts such as these, alongside many other programs in widespread parts of the world, Religions for Peace is creating safe havens for spiritual revival and wholeness with the intent of leaving no one behind in the quest for peace. The organization’s diverse initiatives bring together faith communities, local partners, and international organizations. Side by side, they work to address urgent humanitarian needs, foster resilient and inclusive societies, and advance a common good.
Just one of many examples: In Peru, Religions for Peace is addressing unrest by aiding thousands of Venezuelan refugees who have fled their militant government seeking the basic human rights of safety, refuge, dignity, and hope. It’s also supporting efforts to combat the scavenging of the Amazon, Peru’s most important natural resource that’s treasured by its indigenous communities as a sacred gift entrusted to humanity. Yet another program focuses on empowering outreach programs for the country’s disadvantaged youth, seeking to shield them from abuse and alienation.
“The driver of conflict is thinking that only I am important, that my community is the only important community, and my country is the only important country,” explains Dr. Kuria. “The spiritual solution lies in reviving a spirit of sharing, of compassion and love for the whole of humanity, a centering on the well-being and dignity of every individual. That includes their spiritual well-being, not just their material well-being. Spiritual well-being then will bring forth the virtues of wellness in every human being — the virtues of compassion, of sharing, of love, of charity and mercy that are so necessary for us to be able to create a more fair and just world.”
Key Components
The world’s largest and most representative multi-religious organization, advancing common action among the world’s religious communities for peace
50+ years of results-centered activism
Building, facilitating, and sustaining 100 national and six interreligious councils across 125 countries
Uniting religious leaders from various denominations and faiths in regularly scheduled assemblies and ongoing dialogue to address urgent priorities for peace
6 key priorities:
- Peaceful, just, and inclusive societies
- Gender equality
- The environment
- Freedom of thought, conscience, and religion
- Interreligious education
- Global partnerships
Impact
“We need to go back to that essential narrative that highlights the spiritual nature of every human being to be connected with the Sacred, that yearning for the greatness that every religion calls out in all human beings. It’s a greatness defined by the Sacred, by reaching up, reaching to the maximum of your wellness. We must realize that true religion is motivation for good.”
Dr. Francis Kuria
Secretary General, Religions for Peace International
20 current multifaith projects around the world
100 delegates from 125 countries participated in the 10th World Assembly
21 million youth mobilized for global disarmament through multireligious action
40% of Religions for Peace’s leaders are women, promoting gender equality through interreligious collaboration
Conclusion
How Spirituality Makes This Work Different
Governments and secular philanthropies have a record of prioritizing narrow-focus strategies that achieve short-term successes. What if there are better ways to address pressing social problems, ways that go deeper to understand and repair the unrests of our time? Religions for Peace tackles ambitious goals and complex problems with a spiritual lens. It’s an expansive view, allowing people to connect with what the Creator has sown in every human heart and to rescue what’s most Sacred in our shared humanity.