Religions for Peace World Council Meeting

Facilitating Global Interfaith Responses to the World’s Most Urgent Challenges

Faith leaders and communities have served on the frontlines of every major challenge the world has ever faced – Religions for Peace brings this expertise and commitment together for interfaith solutions that include government, civil society, and all other stakeholders. 

Ten World Assemblies

Every five to seven years, Religions for Peace convenes a World Assembly to bring together faith leaders with government and civil society partners to forge a consensus on global priorities for peace and elect new leadership.

Previous World Assemblies have taken place in 2019 (Lindau, Germany), 2013 (Vienna, Austria), 2006 (Kyoto, Japan), 1999 (Amman, Jordan), 1994 (The Vatican, Italy), 1989 (Melbourne, Australia), 1984 (Nairobi, Kenya), 1979 (Princeton, United States), 1974 (Leuven, Belgium), and 1970 (Kyoto, Japan).

https://www.rfp.org/leadership/

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At the 2025 meeting, Elder Gerrit Gong participated in a panel discussion.

https://x.com/GerritWGong/status/1950317001714630988

 

Gerrit W. Gong

@GerritWGong

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9h

With exponentially compounding AI technologies promising new ideas and new possibilities in coming years, we confront profound questions: • What it means to be human? • Who and what will define perceptual “truth”? • Emotional relationships between humans and AI (including AI companions)? • How we understand divine principles of work, faith and reasoning, even relationship with the Divine? I spoke about these issues today at the Religions for Peace World Council Meeting held in Istanbul, Türkiye. I called for religious actors to action in three AI-centered areas which affect faith, ethics, and human dignity. First, be clear, and help society understand, AI is not and cannot be God. No set of utilitarian AI algorithms should determine or speak for our most treasured human values and spiritual experiences. Second, help chart a future where AI genuinely contributes to the common good, including human thriving and common prosperity, for people everywhere. Third, commit together to ensure AI’s moral compass is not dictated solely by technology or the small group developing the technology. All those committed to faith-based morals, ethics, and values are needed in this conversation. Our most precious truth, comfort, revelation, guidance come when we personally commune with the Divine. Spiritual truth and light come from understanding who God is in creation and the universe. For children of God, platforms and technologies cannot substitute for authentic Divine connection and relationship.

Sustainable Development Goals

1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere.
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries.
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.*
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.

Six Key Priorities

Peaceful, Just, and Inclusive Societies

Our faith traditions inspire us to be changemakers where conflict, mass displacement, poverty, violent extremism and inequality call for common action

Gender Equality

Equality for women and girls is a foundation for securing a more peaceful and inclusive world for all people.

The Environment

Recognising the intimate connection between all forms of life and communities, we are committed to nurturing a sustainable environment.

Freedom of Thought, Conscience, and Religion

Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. We bring faith communities together to champion this right for all.

Interreligious Education

Understanding diverse traditions is vital to increasing trust, respect, and cooperation among all people and faiths.

Global Partnerships

Strong partnerships with governments, civil society, and faith-based organisations ensures that our work is effective and leaves no one behind.