The Kaduna Peace Summit called on religious leaders, traditional rulers and civil society representatives to work together for peace.

The One Family Under God campaign was launched with a coalition of religious, governmental and traditional leaders in 2013. The simple recognition of the inextricably connected destiny of people of all faiths and Nigerians as a whole has started gained momentum and yielded real impact in Nigeria.

Most recently, over 700 government and religious leaders, traditional rulers and civil society representatives attended the Kaduna Peace Summit on October 23, 2014. The summit reviewed the outcomes of the ongoing Interfaith Youth Leaders Retreats that have been held since the middle of the year as part of the “One Family Under God Campaign” and issue a call, particularly for religious leaders, to foster greater coordination and cooperation in the nation to secure peace as the foundation for development.

H.E. Hajiya Amina Namadi Sambo, wife of the vice president of Nigeria attended with several women leaders, including the wife of the Kaduna State governor and the wife of the deputy governor. Other notable attendees included: a representative of the Governor of Kaduna State, 230 delegates from the 23 local government areas, alumni of previous Interfaith Youth Leader Retreats, representatives of the Christian Association of Nigeria and Ja’amatu Nasril Islam, and leaders of several interfaith associations of Nigeria like the Nigerian Interfaith Action Association, the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution; and the Interfaith Mediation Center of the Muslim-Christian Dialogue in Kaduna State.

Summit chair Archbishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon, the Anglican Archbishop of the Province of Kaduna and Bishop of Kaduna diocese, fondly called, “Mr. Dialogue”.

The overwhelming message went out to religious leaders and people of faith to recognize the principles and values shared by both religions. “We have a common God and we therefore have common values,” said summit chair Archbishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon, the Anglican Archbishop of the Province of Kaduna and Bishop of Kaduna diocese, fondly called, “Mr. Dialogue. He said peace building and service are an expression of these shared values.

A number of speakers, including H.E. Amina Sambo, recognized the connection between peace and development. Noting that recent inter-religious violence has stagnated the economic and social growth of the State, while alluding to historic accounts of peaceful relations to suggest that it is possible for regions to live and work together.

H.E. Amina Sambo stressed that faith should serve as a catalyst for peace, not conflict. She said, “Although our country, Nigeria is a secular state we do know that most of us are either Muslims or Christians. The same God created us though we worship him in different ways. We are one family under one God. Therefore we should live together in peace and not use religion or ethnicity to unleash violence and kill as both religions preach peace.” Recognizing the upcoming elections next year, she said peace imperative to ensure a fair and free election.

H.E. Hajiya Amina Namadi Sambo, wife of the vice president of Nigeria addresses the peace summit.

Pastor James Wuye, co-directors of the Interfaith Mediation Center of the Muslim-Christian Dialogue in Kaduna State, put out a challenge to the summit, “My Challenge to all of us is that, let us start a competition in this state and the competition should be, who will outwit the other in doing good; is it the Muslims or the Christians? Let’s start the completion of sharing love, sharing food, sharing money and let there be a scale”.

Imam Muhammad Ashafa recognized the role of women in securing peace in the home, and directly addressed the women leaders present, “I call on our mothers to take this seriously, start from home to forgive the unforgiveable so that the future can be a better place.”The summit recognized the impact of the “One Family under God” campaign and the work of the Global Peace Foundation to foster interfaith cooperation and peace. Her Excellency, Hajiya Fatima Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, wife of the Governor of Kaduna State said, “I cannot but commend the efforts and sacrifice of Global Peace Foundation for this summit organised to foster understanding and cooperation.” She sounded her optimism for peace in Kaduna State, saying: “I am optimistic that with the help of our youths, peace organisations, associations and foundations like the Global Peace Foundation, we will overcome any obstacle that stands in the way of our continued peaceful coexistence”.

Original story appeared on www.globalpeace.org

The post Kaduna Peace Summit Calls for Interfaith Cooperation to Secure Peace for Development appeared first on Hyun Jin Preston Moon.

Participating youth and interfaith leaders of the International Multifaith Youth Assembly read their Peace Declaration in front of the National Monument of Indonesia.

“The universal principles and shared values of the world’s faith traditions  provide the essential basis for rising above conflict and building social  cohesion in diverse and multi-religious societies. They offer the antidote to the  threat of global religious wars. That is why cooperation among faith leaders is  essential for securing peace at this critical inflection point of modern history.”
Dr. Hyun Jin Moon, Chairman of the Global Peace Foundation at the Global  Peace Convention 2013

The Global Peace Foundation approach to interfaith cooperation taps into the moral authority of faith leaders as they collectively seek innovative and practical solutions to long-standing challenges to peace. In June, two interfaith programs in two very different regions of the world, Nigeria  and Indonesia, focused on cultivating cooperation and understanding among youth faith leaders. Both regions have grappled with creating cohesion in multi-faith, multi-ethnic and multi-tribal societies. Their shared challenges underscore how identity-based conflicts hinder development and thwart peace.

In Nigeria, the abduction of close to 300 girls from Chibok and the subsequent international social media campaign #bringbackourgirls has drawn attention to the bigger issue of inter-tribal, intra and inter-religious conflict. In South Asia, the move towards economic integration by 2015 has accentuated national, sub-national, tribal, racial and religious conflicts.GPF’s work is critical as it seeks to explicate universally shared values as the foundation for understanding and cooperation.

Dr. Douglas Johnston explains religious diplomacy at the Global Peace Convention 2012.

A recent blog on the Global Peace Foundation drew on the experiences of Dr. Douglas Johnston, a member of the Global Leadership Council and founder of the International Center for Religious Diplomacy (ICRD), a long-time partnering organization of GPF, to provide an up-close look at how interfaith-cooperation works. ICRD uses “Track Two diplomacy” to engage religion as a solution to religiously based conflict.

In 2007, Douglas Johnston conducted a round table with several Taliban commanders in the mountains of Pakistan. At the Euphrates Summit in 2011, he recounts that his objective at the time was “to see if we can build on religious values that we have in common to build a confidence-building measure that can point to peace.”

Significantly, Dr. Johnston does not shy away from his own Christian convictions, and he is not afraid to draw connections with Islam. At one point in the discussions, a participant stood up and confronted Dr. Johnston, “I cannot talk to you unless you are a Muslim.” To which Dr. Johnston responded, “I don’t see a problem with that. Muslim means submission to God, we all submit to God, and thus we are all Muslim.” Later that year, that same group of religious and tribal leaders became instrumental in the release of 18 Korean missionaries kidnapped by the Taliban.

This exchange illustrates what Professor Diana Eck of the Pluralism Project at Harvard University encourages as an “encounter of commitments” that becomes the basis for an “active seeking of understanding across lines of difference.” Rather than stripping away religious convictions, it is a quest to draw out the universal principles and shared values that can become the basis for cohesive, ethical societies amid diversity.

Yet, it takes a leap of faith to tread on “enemy” territory to discover common ground. It also takes clarity of understanding, as well as the courage to seek out connections that can cultivate respect and eventually, cooperation.

Muslim and Christian leaders discuss the challenges of inter-religious cooperation in Southern Kaduna State.

Retreats and assemblies such as the Interfaith Young Leaders  Retreat in Nigeria and the International Multifaith Youth  Assembly facilitate this process by providing a safe space to  explore common ground and commitments in places fraught  with tension and conflict. It is in these safe spaces among    those who are poised to shape the future as the parents,  teachers and leaders of tomorrow, we might imagine peace,  understanding, and with it, cooperation and prosperity.

Fundamental to GPF’s inter-religious efforts is the process of  discovering shared commitments to universal principles and  values. The growing network of religious and spiritual leaders  are working together based on a common platform of ideals  and setting critical precedents of character while harnessing  the innovation and resources to create lasting solutions.

Similar experiences, visceral experiences of “One Family Under God”, are vital for rising young leaders.
The Global Peace Foundation Blog appears here: Interfaith Youth Leaders in Nigeria and Indonesia Tackle Identity-Based Conflict 

The post Global Peace Foundation Brings Timely Approach to Tackling Identity-Based Conflict appeared first on Hyun Jin Preston Moon.