Progetto Protone

Dear Friends,

Religious communities are the largest and best-organised civil institutions in the world, claiming the allegiance of billions across race, class, and national divides. These faith communities have particular cultural understandings, infrastructures, and resources; when people of faith (any faith and no faith) embrace the bold vision of multi-faith co-existence and solidarity, we can also face seemingly insurmountable global problems like poverty, disease, injustice, inequality, and degradation.

Thanks to you, Religions for Peace has been at the forefront of multi-faith collaborations. This cooperation includes but also goes beyond dialogue and bears fruit in common concrete action and solemn determination to leave no one behind. No where is this more evident than through the Religions for Peace Multi-Religious Humanitarian Fund (MHRF).Under a MHRF project implemented by Religion for Peace’s Inter-Religious Council (IRC) of Mozambique a far-reaching public messaging campaign as well as COVID-19 prevention training was implemented across Mozambique. Communities were led to adopt health-conscious changes to burial customs, holiday traditions, and everyday life habits. Such changes had to be communicated clearly, quickly, and widely to diverse communities of people to save lives. Only an organisation like Religions for Peace has the actual in-country presence and decades of experience of convening religious institutions and faith leaders to serve together — leaving no one behind.In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Religions for Peace’s Inter-Religious Council of DRC helped bring together Kinshasa’s tight-knit communities of Catholics, Evangelists, Muslims, Kimbagusts, Bahai’es, and Protestants, to coordinate the work of leaders and effectively educate the community about health and hygiene best practices.  One of the central on-the-ground implementers, Dr Joseph Nzumbu, a physician at the Diabetic Clinic of the Mont Amba Hospital Center, spearheaded our work with faith leaders, to select and train citizens from participating multi-faith communities. As a result, they were equipped with critical knowledge they could spread far and wide, even in the early stages of the pandemic. “The impact can be seen in that all the women and youth who attended the training were previously ignorant of the deadly consequences of this virus. They are now happy to learn how they can personally help stop the spread of this disease,” Dr. Nzumbu said of the hygiene and COVID-19 prevention training. In Haiti, Religions for Peace, in line with its sister Inter-Religious Councils in 91 other countries, utilized a structured approach to connect majority and minority religious groups in Haiti, who were desirous of living their faith as an enactment of peace for one and all Haitians, despite long-simmering tensions. Always keeping multi-religious cooperation central, Religions for Peace Haiti has continued to bring the country’s Anglican, Catholic, Evangelical, and Vodouists together to serve specific and unmet needs, thereby preventing what could have been another humanitarian disaster. This year, we’ve seen that this vital work — of reshaping how neighbors think about peace — is no small task and is only made possible by our 90+ Inter-Religious Councils operating worldwide. As you read these powerful stories, I encourage you to think about your support for Religions for Peace and our IRCs. You can help us fully engage the spiritual, moral and social assets of religious communities around the world to advance shared well-being and counter the misuse of religion. Please stay engaged and help us continue this vital work by making a donation to Religions for Peace today. In Gratitude and Service,Dr. Azza KaramSecretary GeneralReligions for Peace InternationalANNOUNCEMENT Diplomacy is the oldest means of trying to build peaceful, just, inclusive coexistence in our global community. Religion is the oldest system of language, instruction and institutional existence. Where do the two meet? Religions for Peace and Ring for Peace are delighted inform you of the:Religions for Peace and Ring for Peace with the support of the German Federal Foreign Office, are pleased to inform you about the Conference of the World Council of Religious Leaders: Generations in Dialogue on Faith and Diplomacy, which will be held in Lindau, Germany, from 4-7 October 2021. This Conference will convene the World Council of Religions for Peace, including members of the Interfaith Youth and Women’s networks, together with partners representing governmental, intergovernmental and civil society institutions (including academia), in a hybrid modality. Focusing on the nexus of Diplomacy and Religions with regards to Environmental concerns, Humanitarianism and Peace and Security, this interactive conversation will deliberately engage different generations in dialogue. To secure your spot and participate virtually please register at: register.ringforpeace.org