Inter-Faith Peace Summit
14-19 October 2002 Johannesburg, South Africa
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Representatives of faith communities in Johannesburg October 14-19 for the historic Inter-Faith Peace Summit in Africa included from left to right: Sheikh Kafumba F. Konneh, Inter-religious Council of Liberia; Ms Lucretia Warren, The Baha'i Faith, Botswana; Wilfrid Cardinal Napier, Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference; Bishop Litsietsi Dube, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe; Houna Agbessi Daagbo Hounon and Mr. Robert Hounon, Vodun Hwendo Spiritual Tradition, Benin; and the Rev. Dr. Ingo Wulfhorst, Study Secretary for Church and People of Other Faiths, LWF Department for Theology and Studies. © LWF/P. Weinberg |
African
Religious Leaders Adopt
Plan of Action for Peace
A week-long historic inter-faith peace summit ended in Benoni near Johannesburg on Saturday, 19 October 2002 with the adoption of a plan of action authorizing the establishment of a Continuation Committee and a call on religious leaders to take "immediate" actions in regard to areas of conflict such as "Sudan, Cote d'Ivoire, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Inter-Faith Action for Peace in Africa, adopted at the end of the October 14-19 Inter- Faith Peace Summit calls for the convening of a series of regional summits across Africa to be held within the next 18 months in order to continue the drive for peace on the continent. An all-Africa Summit is planned in three years' time, with the aim of assessing and following up the outcomes of this first-ever event held in Benoni. The plan is based on a declaration adopted by consensus on October 17.
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LWF General Secretary Rev. Dr. Ishmael Noko (middle) and guest speakers, Mr. Duma Nkosi (left), the Mayor of Ekurhuleni, and Dr Barney Pityana (right), principal of the University of South Africa. © LWF |
The extensive plan of action will be carried back to the nations of Africa and adapted to meet the specific needs of each region. Inter-faith groups in Africa have been charged with taking up issues ranging from small arms proliferation to health and environmental issues that hinder the peaceful development of the continent.
In a special closing ceremony at the Kopanong Conference Centre a copy of the Plan of Action and the Johannesburg Inter-Faith Peace Declaration, adopted arlier in the week, were handed over to guest speakers the Mayor of Ekurhuleni, Mr. Duma Nkosi and Dr Barney Pityana, principal of the University of South Africa.
In his closing remarks, Rev. Dr. Ishmael Noko, General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) described the declaration as a landmark because it "marks how far we have come in the pursuit of peace." The plan of action, he said, laid the foundation for a different chapter into our inter-faith encounters, and in the history of Africa." The week-long meeting, bringing together religious representatives from 21 African countries was organized y the LWF and hosted by the National Religious Leaders Forum of South Africa (NRLFSA).
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Participants of the Inter-Faith Peace Summit in Johannesburg. © LWF |
Ambassador Ilari Rantakari, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Finland, welcomed the plan of action underlining that it includes a meaningful program envisaging implementation on local, national, sub-regional and regional levels.
On behalf of the NRLFSA, Bishop Mvume Dandala, Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa and President of the South African Council of Churches said they felt honored to host the historic conference. The major task now is to convince our various communities as to the significance and value of this inter-faith dialogue and fellowship exercise, he added. More...
Please click to find the full text of the Johannesburg
Inter-Faith Peace Declaration "EMBRACING
THE GIFT OF PEACE"
(Requires Adobe
Acrobat Reader) 
and the
Johannesburg
Plan of Action. Both documents are also available in French
- "EMBRASSER
LE DON DE LA PAIX"
and
Plan
d'Action de Johannesburg.
Other pages from the Inter-Faith Peace Summit in Africa:
