Global Faith Leaders Unite in Tokyo to Condemn War, Foster Peace and Dialogue
By Augustine Orapine
From July 1 to 3, 2025, religious leaders from across the globe convened in Tokyo, Japan, for a peace roundtable organized by Religions for Peace International. The gathering brought together prominent representatives of major world religions to denounce ongoing wars and promote interfaith dialogue as a path to global peace and reconciliation.
The event welcomed figures from Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Confucianism, Shintoism, Sikhism, Taoism, and traditional indigenous religions. Many participants hailed from nations currently experiencing violent conflicts, underscoring the urgency and gravity of the roundtable’s mission.
The multi-day meeting focused on several key themes: fostering trust and mutual understanding among religious leaders; identifying barriers to reconciliation; facilitating dialogue rooted in each tradition’s core values; and enhancing cooperation between religious and political figures to prevent conflict and provide humanitarian support.
The roundtable also sought to strengthen alliances with governments, intergovernmental bodies, and civil society organizations to ensure sustained peacebuilding efforts on a global scale.
“We hope that this conflict-ridden world can heal and return to a period of relative calm, harmony, and tolerance. We must believe and hope—especially in this Jubilee year,” said Luigi De Salvia, President of Religions for Peace Italy, in a statement to Vatican News.
“Trust and hope must always be there. It’s like when a patient is given treatment to heal—if the patient doesn’t believe in it, the efforts are in vain. I hope a new approach and a new way of thinking can emerge from the Tokyo roundtable. I expect a reaffirmation of continued commitment,” he added.
One of the event’s central goals was to create a meaningful space for interreligious engagement alongside political leaders—one that can address every phase of global crises, from the early signs of conflict to post-war reconciliation.
Special attention was given to ongoing humanitarian emergencies in Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, and Myanmar.
“Myanmar is a country that has been repeatedly mentioned by Pope Francis and also by Leo XIV,” noted De Salvia.
Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, Archbishop of Yangon and national coordinator of Religions for Peace in Myanmar, also took part in the meeting. De Salvia revealed that a future gathering will be dedicated entirely to Myanmar to help raise international awareness about the country’s worsening crisis.
Founded in 1970 in Kyoto, Religions for Peace is a global network committed to multireligious cooperation rooted in respect for religious diversity. Active in over 90 countries, the organization works on conflict resolution, humanitarian assistance, and peacebuilding through dialogue and collaboration at the international, regional, and local levels.
The Tokyo roundtable is the latest effort by Religions for Peace to bring moral voices into conversations of global consequence—affirming that peace, tolerance, and shared responsibility must remain central to humanity’s future.
