New York: Faith leaders call for true and transformative peace

General Secretary Burghardt: “Creating contexts where people and communities can thrive” 

(LWI) - On the eve of the Summit of the Future, global faith leaders convened in New York, united by a shared imperative: to foster transformative peace by addressing the root causes of conflict and creating thriving communities. 

It is urgent to address conflict and the systems that fuel it, said The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) General Secretary Rev. Dr Anne Burghardt. “Thriving communities are the ultimate measure of a peaceful world. Transformative peace is centered on addressing the root causes of conflict and violence and creating contexts where people and communities can thrive.”  

Faith actors, she added, “are called to promote mutual respect and dignity, always looking for the shared humanity that unites us all. Cooperation, education and empowerment, advocacy and support to the needy are integral to transformative peace.” 

Throughout the discussion, a clear consensus emerged: religious leaders are in unique positions of trust and influence, and they can work for lasting peace in ways few other actors can. 

Unique opportunity to foster social cohesion  

Leaders from across the world are meeting at the Summit of the Future in New York at a time when there are more than 50 ongoing conflicts in the world, which is the highest number since the end of the Second World War.  

In a keynote address, Dr. Mohammad Elsanoussi, Executive Director of the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers , said that the global peace and security system was under enormous pressure on many fronts. It is not just that there are conflicts in many countries, they are also escalating. But, he added, “as people of faith, we can collectively move the needle and foster social cohesion.” Faith-based institutions and religious actors, he added, are uniquely positioned to foster trust and can often reach areas where formal structures are absent.  

Putting peace at the center 

“Salam, shalom, peace, is a greeting used by billions of believers across the world,” said LWF General Secretary Burghardt. This is what religious communities strive for. Working for peace does not just mean “an “absence of conflict, but addressing the root causes of conflict, protecting those affected by violence and wars, and ultimately creating contexts where people and communities can thrive.” 

“In this work, we must always look for the common humanity that unites us all.” Education and empowerment are key tools in this work, as well as advocacy for justice and supporting people in need, she added. 

“Religious leaders can lead with action and end this cycle of division,” said Dr. Francis Kuria, Secretary General of Religions for Peace. He also discussed how women and youth are central to the work for peace, adding that as soldiers return from conflict, women play a key role in reintegrating them in society. 

“True peace must address the root causes of conflict — poverty, inequality, exclusion, human rights violations, occupation, and all systems of oppression that oppress people and take away their dignity and freedoms,” said Rev. Khader El-Yateem, ELCA Executive Director for Service and Justice. “This UN's Pact for the Future is a crucial opportunity to put peace at the center of the global agenda.” 

The side event was jointly organized by the LWF, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Religions for Peace, Finn Church Aid, and the African Council of Religious Leaders. It was held in the Church Centre for the United Nations  on the International Day of Peace, as part of the Action Days preceding the global summit in New York from 22-23 September.