Speeches
- Written by: Ms. Nadia Hassan, Executive Director, Young Leaders Institute, USA
I started the Young Leaders Institute in hopes of reaching one billion youth rising to change our world for the better. Now that I have all of you as my “global family,” and with your help, I know that I can achieve this dream.
- Written by: Dr. Emad Abu Alrub, Head, Ukrainian Center for Dialogue and Communication, Ukraine
It is our duty to work out a common code of ethics for religious leaders aimed at maintaining a positive relationship between them. This, in turn, will positively affect the relationship between their followers.
- Written by: Fr. Joseph Saghbini, Parish Priest, Basilian Salvatorian Order, Lebanon
It is our true role and mission as religious leaders to educate the younger generations in a culture of peace, dialogue and openness to others. I call for the formation of councils in our countries—composed of religious leaders, intellectuals and people in civic and social fields—to discuss these topics.
- Written by: Netan B. Rika, Member of Parliament, Fiji
Authenticity is defined as the quality of being genuine or real, a state of being authentic, or legitimate and true. God wants authentic leaders. God wants authentic shepherds. God wants authentic people.
- Written by: Dr. Sheikh Hojjat Ramzy, Director, Oxford Islamic Information Centre, UK
We need to unite, and truly unite, brothers and sisters. We are blessed to have another opportunity to unite under the Interreligious Association for Peace and Development (IAPD).
- Written by: Rev. Suamalie Naisali Tafaki Josefa Naisali, Elder Minister and Chairman, United Reformed Christian Church of Tuvalu, Kirbati and New Zealand, New Zealand
God wants you and me today to develop a vibrant, sustainable, peaceful world where people live for the sake of one another and live well in dignity and prosperity.
- Written by: Ven. Sobhita, Principal, International Buddhist Educational Center, Myanmar
We all want world peace, not for us, but for the generations that will follow us, so that they will be able to live happily, quietly and peacefully after we have departed from the world. I do believe that if we, the religious leaders, can unite, the world will be united in turn.
- Written by: Ven. Prof. Dr. Medagampitiye Wijithadhamma, Head of Department of Pali and Buddhist Studies, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka
Today, it has become an urgent necessity to provide avenues to build world peace through understanding different cultures and religions, because the religious and ethnic conflicts in the world today have their roots in the misunderstanding of religious beliefs and misinterpretations of sacred texts.
- Written by: Archmandrite Nikifor Milovic, Diocese Budimlje-Niksic, Serbian Orthodox Church, Montenegro
The critical question is how we can make sure that the fundamental values that should guide the political processes in the world—respect for human dignity, peace, justice, freedom, tolerance, participation, solidarity, and sustainability—can be maintained in times of change. No compromises can be made concerning these basic values.
- Written by: Dr. Hamdi Murad, Professor, International Islamic University, Jordan
It is important in this holy place to emphasize the absolute necessity of the true and common relationship between religious leaders and political leaders, because they together can serve humanity in their societies in every place and time.
- Written by: Rev. Yoshio Kawakami, Professor Emeritus, Tezukayama Gakuin University, Japan
What is required of all the religions and all the religious leaders today is to learn to recognize, to understand, to admit and to accept the teachings and the ways of life of other religions. To be more understanding, more generous and more inclusive is what we need to achieve.
- Written by: Archbishop Dr. Johannes N. Ndanga, Founder and President, Apostolic Christian Churches of Zimbabwe (ACCZ)
In the name of the Almighty we call upon the leaders and people to reject violence and come together in open dialogue for peace and cooperation. We call on the Korean people and the world community to recognize it is time to awaken our hearts