About the Council

Building an integrated framework for peace

The World Council of Religious Leaders, an independent body, works to bring religious resources to support the work of the United Nations in our common quest for peace.

Mission

To serve as a model and guide for the creation of a community of world religions, inspiring people of all faiths in the pursuit of peace, justice, and mutual understanding.

The United Nations

We undertake initiatives to bring the spiritual resources of the world's religious traditions to assist the United Nations in the prevention, resolution, and healing of conflicts.

Shared Values

By promoting the spiritual values shared by all traditions, the Council helps develop the inner qualities and external conditions for a more peaceful, just, and sustainable world.

Charter & History

From the Millennium World Peace Summit

The World Council of Religious Leaders was founded in the wake of the Millennium World Peace Summit, convened at the United Nations General Assembly in 2000 — the first gathering of its kind to bring senior religious leaders from across the world's traditions into the heart of the UN.

The Council was formally launched in Bangkok on June 12–14, 2002, at Buddhamonthon and UNESCAP, where participants adopted a Charter outlining the key areas in which religious leaders can play an active role in reducing conflict and addressing the critical needs of humankind.

In the decades since, the Council has convened summits, dialogues, and missions that build trust across traditions and offer moral leadership in moments of crisis — translating shared values into practical action on the defining challenges of our time.

The Charter

A framework for the work of peace

Preamble

As religious and spiritual leaders of the world forming the World Council of Religious Leaders, we believe that religion can serve as a positive force for achieving world peace, that conflicts among religious and spiritual groups are avoidable, and that harmony among them is to be consistently promoted through active discussion and dialogue.

We believe it is our responsibility to work together to remove all causes of tension among our communities — to lead our followers to accept differences, to maintain self-respect, and to live in harmony with the diverse communities of the world and with humankind in general.

With these ends in view, the World Council is formed as an independent body — a resource to work in collaboration with the United Nations and other international and national organisations dedicated to peace, harmony, mutual respect, and social and economic justice.

Structure

  • The World Council

    Headquartered in New York City, composed of eminent religious and spiritual leaders from the member states of the United Nations.

  • Regional Councils

    Located alongside the regional offices of the UN, working with pre-eminent religious leaders and established networks across each region.

  • National Councils

    Situated in member countries of the United Nations — autonomous bodies linked to the World Council and convened by national religious leadership.

Functions

The Charter vests the Council with the following functions and powers:

  • 01Promote religious and spiritual harmony across traditions.
  • 02Prevent and resolve tensions and potential conflicts connected with religion and culture.
  • 03Promote respect for women and children and care for the vulnerable in society.
  • 04Work for the active promotion of mutual respect and the preservation of religious diversity.
  • 05Take constructive measures to resolve conflict, promote reconciliation, and foster healing in areas of conflict.
  • 06Seek methods to reduce poverty and promote sharing and compassion in support of the UN's poverty reduction goals.
  • 07Promote an environmental ethic to reverse degradation and mobilise faith communities around sustainability and respect for all life.
Leadership

Eminent leaders convening the world's traditions

The Council brings together senior religious and spiritual leaders from across the major faith traditions, supported by a global advisory community.

Co-Chairs

  • His Excellency Dr. Mohammad bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa

    Secretary General of the World Muslim League, Saudi Arabia

  • His Excellency Dr. Mohammad Mahdi Tashkiri

    President of the Islamic Culture and Relationship Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran

  • Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef

    Chief Rabbi of Israel

  • Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau

    Chief Rabbi of Israel

  • His Holiness Vijayendra Saraswati

    The Shankaracharya of Kanchipuram, India

  • His Holiness Somdet Phra Ariyavongsagatanana IX

    Supreme Patriarch, Kingdom of Thailand

  • Most Venerable Li Guangfu

    President of the China Taoist Association, China

Board

  • His Holiness Swami Avdeshananda Giri

    Chair of the Board — Maha Mahamandleshwar, Pithadishwar Juna Akhada, India

  • Bawa Jain

    Secretary General, World Council of Religious Leaders, USA

  • Venerable Shi Ming Yi

    Director General; Abbot, Foo Hai Ch'an Monastery, Singapore

  • His Grace Thabo Makgoba

    Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa

  • His Beatitude Pierbattista Pizzaballa

    Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem

  • Chief Rabbi David Rosen

    President, International Jewish Committee for Inter-Religious Consultation; International Advisor to the Chief Rabbinate of Israel

  • Chief Oren Lyons

    Chief, Onondaga Nation

  • Most Venerable Phra Dharmakosarjan

    Rector, Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Thailand

  • His Eminence Nikitas Loulias

    Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain

  • Swami Parmatmananda Saraswati

    Secretary General — Convener, Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha, India

  • Rabbi Arthur Schneier

    President, Appeal of Conscience Foundation, New York, USA

Senior Advisors

  • His Eminence Francis Cardinal Arinze

    Former President, Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue

  • His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Omar Nasseef

    Secretary General, International Islamic Council for Dawa and Relief; former Secretary General, Muslim World League

  • His Excellency Ayatollah Abdollah Vaeze Javadi Amoli

    Member of the Assembly of Experts for the Constitution, Iran

  • His Excellency Mr. Budimir Loncar

    Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Yugoslavia

  • Dame Jane Goodall, PhD, CBE

    UN Messenger of Peace; Founder, The Jane Goodall Institute

  • Lord Jonathan Sacks

    Former Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom

  • Her Excellency Gillian Sorenson

    Former Assistant Secretary General, United Nations

  • His Excellency Sheikh Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun

    Grand Mufti of Syria

  • His Excellency Dr. Karan Singh

    Member of Parliament, India

  • His Excellency Mr. Kenneth Kaunda

    Former President of the Republic of Zambia

Awards

The Gandhi–King Award for Nonviolence

Presented by the World Movement for Nonviolence, the Gandhi–King Award is the leading international honour for promoting the principles and practices of nonviolence in daily life — given in honour of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s contribution to world peace and justice.

The World Movement for Nonviolence was founded by Bawa Jain in 1998 to raise awareness of the critical importance of practising peacefulness, and has forged partnerships with individuals and organisations in more than 140 cities across America and over 60 countries.

“We may never be strong enough to be entirely nonviolent in thought, word and deed. But we must keep nonviolence as our goal and make steady progress towards it.”
Mahatma Gandhi

Recipients

  • 1999

    Kofi Annan

    Secretary-General of the United Nations

  • 2000

    Nelson Mandela

    Former President of South Africa

  • 2001

    Jane Goodall

    World-renowned scientist and writer

  • 2002

    Mata Amritanandamayi

    Internationally recognised spiritual teacher