Muslims, Buddhists and Jews hand in hand on a stage, Christians, Sikhs and Taoists praying together in front of a ring made of wood as a symbol of peace, and indigenous people, Baha’i and Hindus dining together next to a large table with food that meets all religious needs. These images went around the world in 2019: Religions meet in Lindau to talk about peace.
At the end of the conference, journalists were happy to ask the question, “And now what?”
The answer to that is complex and multifaceted. There are obvious outcomes, such as the declaration with three basic goals and nine call-to-action points agreed upon by the World Council of Religious Leaders. But there are also quite a few results that are more difficult to grasp, but which nevertheless continue to have an impact: Religious representatives now are networking more closely, sharing knowledge and experience with one another, and appearing more strongly as a cooperative force at the global level.
„Once again, I experienced how an assembly of Religions for Peace is, in fact, a summit of world religions. The event gives a spiritual pulse to the present and moral perspectives to the future. It inspires personal encounters and forges new alliances across faith and culture, gender and generation.”
Bishop Gunnar Stålset, Co-President Religions for Peace
Anyone who wants an answer to what results the conferences produce needs to understand exactly what actually happens at the conferences; to listen to what is said, how it is said, and by whom it is said; and to gain an understanding that a face-to-face exchange of ideas can have a more lasting effect than a signed treaty.
All that took place at the two conferences in 2019 and 2020 is captured in the 187 pages of the documentary volume entitled “10+1,” now published by the Lindau-based Foundation for Peace Dialogue of World Religions and Civil Society and Religions for Peace of New York.
Included are speeches by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Sheikh Abdallah bin Bayyah as well as Pope Francis‘ 2019 greeting message, video messages from German Chancellor Angela Merkel, UN Secretary General Anónio Guterres and Minister of State Michelle Müntefering from 2020, and numerous essays – such as those by Religions for Peace Secretary General Azza Karam and Bishop Gunnar Stålsett.
„That women are barely visible in the representation of religions is a nuisance. The assembly in Lindau made their creativity visible. New contacts were made. I am convinced that from this, new impulses will emerge that will uncover the engagement of women in the religions and for peace.”
Margot Käßmann, Co-President Religions for Peace
Readers can also read information about all the lectures, discussion panels and workshops. Especially exciting are the reports with the results of the workshops that took place without the public: 2019’s “Commissions” and 2020’s “Interactive Breakout Sessions.”
For those who want to get a sense of what will take place at the upcoming “Conference of the World Council of Religious Leaders on Faith and Diplomacy: Generations in Dialogue,” October 4-7, the documentation volume will offer a taste.
You may download the digital version of the book for free here.
“10+1” is in English, has
The hardcover book is available from the Foundation for Peace Dialogue of World Religions and Civil Society for the price of 12 euros a piece plus shipping (depending on the country of delivery). You can order the book by sending an e-mail to: info@ringforpeace.org
The Lindau Peace Talks will be streamed live and to the public on Thursday, July 7, at 1 pm in German language. It will be released with English subtitles afterwards. The first Peace Talk will focus on peace diplomacy in Ukraine and will be moderated by Evelyn Finger (Die Zeit).
Author Moritz Findeisen from katholisch.de uses the current war in Ukraine to discuss the extent to which religions are more likely to bring peace or fuel conflict.
We are excited to announce that a German publisher used in one of its schoolbooks two texts that have been written in 2019 for a newspaper supplement commissioned by Ring for Peace accompanying the 10th World Assembly. The first text is from journalist Mareike Enghusen titled “Deeply Anchored Common Values” and the second one is from Rabbi David Rosen titled “Fighting Extremism and Fostering Peace“.
Gunnar Stålsett, former Evangelical Lutheran Bishop of Oslo, was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Friday. Stålsett is Honorary President of Religions for Peace and a member of the board of trustees of the Lindau Foundation Peace Dialogue of World Religions and Civil Society. Congratulations.
Muslims, Buddhists and Jews hand in hand on a stage, Christians, Sikhs and Taoists praying together in front of a ring made of wood as a symbol of peace, and indigenous people, Baha’i and Hindus dining together next to a large table with food that meets all religious needs. These images went around the world in 2019: Religions meet in Lindau to talk about peace. At the end of the conference, journalists were happy to ask the question, “And now what?”
The Lindau association “Friedensräume” invited on Thursday to a common prayer of the religions at the Ring for Peace in the Lindau Luitpoldpark. We were present at the ceremony, which makes us look forward to our ceremony on October 5.
The former EKD Council President was a guest speaker at the anniversary celebration of 20 years of peace rooms. In her speech, she criticized the arms deals of nations like Germany and called on religions to do more to shake things up.
March 8 is International Women’s Day. To mark the occasion, we publish this interview with Rachel Rosenbluth, one of the first Jewish women to be ordained as a rabbi. Rosenbluth was a speaker at the 1st Assembly on Women, Faith & Diplomacy in November 2020. Read, what she asks of men in the name of all women of faith.
Today, November 25th, the world commemorates discrimination and violence against women and girls. The Lindauer Stiftung Friedensdialog der Weltreligionen und Zivilgesellschaft, Ring for Peace, is permanently launching very concrete projects to remedy this situation. Learn more about the ongoing efforts of our foundation.
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and Religions for Peace announced a commitment to form a Multi-Religious Council of Leaders to strengthen efforts to address the root causes of conflict and displacement and to support peacebuilding, inclusion and reconciliation efforts.
