Declarationofthe10thWorldAssemblyofReligionsforPeaceLindau,Germany23August2019

Preamble

We–900women,men,andyouth–havegatheredinLindau,Germany,comingfrom125countries for the10thWorldAssemblyofReligions forPeace.Wearegrateful for49yearsofdeterminedfocusonbuildingpeaceandonspeakingforthosemostinneed.Weareanallianceof care,of compassion,of love.Werepresenta fargreater,evergrowing,andever-radiatingallianceof“commonaction”thatReligionsforPeacegladlyserves.Inthatlightweacknowledgewithsorrowtheways–subtleandgross–thatweandourreligiouscommunitieshavefallen-short.Ourheartsgrieveoverthemisuseofourfaiths,especiallythewaystheyhavebeentwistedto fuel violenceandhate.Ouralliancehonorsour religiousdifferences,evenas it serves thepeaceforwhichthehumanhearthungers.Wegatherinhope,convincedthatthesacredcallsallhumanityintosharedresponsibilityforourcommongood,careforoneanother,theearth,anditsentireweboflife.

Theburdensofthehumanfamilyarewell-knowntous.Weknowtoowellwar,howitkills,maims,anddestroysthelivesoftheinnocent.Weknowthecrushingweightofextremepoverty,howitstunts,humiliates,andplunders.Tenpercentofourhumanfamilyisdesperatelypoor.Weknowthatmorethan70millionofusnolongerfindshelterinthesanctuaryoftheirhomes.Theyarerefugees,internallydisplaced,andpersonsforcedtobeonthemove.Weknowwe have entered a terrifying new arms race, one that includes modernizing nuclear arms,weaponizing space and artificial intelligence, and new energy weapons. These burdens areprofoundlyexacerbatedbythecataclysmicheatingoftheearth,decimationoftherainforests,poisoningoftheseas,andchokingoftheweboflife.

Wearealsoexperiencingwhatwecalla“meta-crisis”ofourmodernorder,whichliesbehindtheUnitedNationsandtheagreementsourstateshavemadeonhumanrights,theruleoflaw,andinternationaltrade.Freedomsofallkinds,theprotectionsofminorities,andthefabricofourconnectionhavecomeunderattackaroundtheworld.Ontheeconomicfront,ameagerhandfuloftherichestpersonshavemorewealththanfourbillionpersons.Addingtothepoliticalandeconomicdimensionsofthismeta-crisisofmodernorder,thereistodaya“meta-crisis”oftruth, which challenges the notion of “truth,” while “fake news” is tailored for political orcommercial gain. Today, we are buffeted between inconvenient truths and convenientfabrications.Thehourislate:wearecalledtourgentaction.

CaringforourCommonFuture:AdvancingSharedWell-BeingOurheart’sinner-mostexperiencesofthesacredandourouter-mostsociallivescryout

to be connected in a state of positive peace that Religions for Peace calls, “shared well-being.” Our different experiences of the sacred make clear that we are, at root, relational:radically related to the sacred and to all that is caused or embraced by the sacred. Asfundamentallyrelational,ourwell-beingisintrinsicallyshared.Helpingtheother,wearehelped;injuringtheother,wewoundourselves.Wefullyacknowledgetheinvaluablerolesofwomenand youth among us and will continually mainstream their irreplaceable contributions. Ourdifferent traditions make clear that the sacred establishes us as both responsible for anddependentuponeachotherandtheearththat sustainsus.Sharedwell-being callsustocommitto all the ways the modern order supports our human dignity. It also calls us to offer in aconstructivespiritanycomplementarycontributionsfromourreligions.Weaffirmthemodernorder’srecognitionofthefoundationalimportanceoffreedom.Atthesametime,wearecalledtoshowbyexamplethesacredgroundingoffreedom.Itleadsthroughthedespairofnihilism,rejectsthenarcissismofmindlessconsumerism,andexpressesitselfasradicalcareforall.

Toourcommitmenttotheimportanceofhumanrights,weaddourfoundationalconcernfor the cultivation of virtues, those habitual orientations to value that sculpt our humanpotentials.Theseincludeourpotentialsforthemostelevatedstatesofmercy,compassion,andlove.Forus,thelabortobecomevirtuousisnotasolitaryact;rather,itisanactof“solidarity;”onethatcanonlybeachievedbygenerosityandmutuallove.Thecultivationofvirtuetacklestheignorance,individualegoism,andgroupegoismthatmutilateauthenticcommunity.

Sharedwell-beingalsocallsforarobustnotionofthe“commongood”thatcanserveallofusinoureffortstovirtuouslyunfoldourrights-protectedhumandignity.Thesupremegoodforusisthesacred,evenasweunderstanditdifferently.Thecommongoodincludestheearthwithitsair,water,soil,andweboflife.Thecommongoodalsoincludesjustinstitutionsthathelpeach to develop her or his human dignity. These call all of us to a shared and gratefulresponsibility.Eachpersonistodrawfromthecommongood;eachistohelpbuilditup.

Advancingsharedwell-beingisconcrete.Wecommittoadvancingsharedwell-beingbypreventing and transforming violent conflicts, promoting just and harmonious societies,nurturingsustainableandintegralhumandevelopment,andprotectingtheearth.PreventingandTransformingViolentConflicts

Wecommit topreventingviolentconflictsbyadvancingpeaceeducation– fromearly

childhood to adults across our religious communities – focusing on shared values, religiousliteracy,andnarrativesofpeace.Wewillbuildskills inconflictmanagementthataddressthedrivers of conflicts non-violently. Our commitments to transforming violent conflicts areactualizedinourAssemblybythereligiousleadersfromMyanmar,theDemocraticRepublicofCongo,theCentralAfricanRepublic,Nigeria,andSouthSudan.OurcommitmentisalsoexpressedinthereligiouswomenrepresentedbythosefromtheMiddleEastandNorthAfricanRegionintheAssemblyplenary.Here,also,religiouspersonsfromNorthandSouthKoreahaveworkedtoconstructconditionsforpeaceontheKoreanPeninsula.Thesereligiousleadershaveconvened

privatelyintheAssemblytostrengthenoneanotheraspartners,peacemakers,andhealers.Wecommittosupportingtheireffortsintheirrespectivecountriesandregions.WeadoptThePeaceCharterforForgivenessandReconciliation,convincedthattransformingviolentconflictsrequiresthe healing of historical wounds and painful memories, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Wecommittointegratingeffortsforhealingintoallourconflictresolutionwork.

Torenewourcommitmenttonucleardisarmament,wepledgetobeafullpartneroftheInternational Campaign to Abolish NuclearWeapons.We condemn the existence of nuclearweapons, affirm our support for theTreaty on the Prohibition of NuclearWeapons, andwilleducate, mobilize, and engage religious communities toward these ends. We also call forimmediate steps toward general disarmament including all weapons of destruction –conventional,nuclear,chemical,biological,andthosenewlyemerging.PromotingJustandHarmoniousSocieties

Wetakeheartthatmulti-religiousactorsandinstitutionsareworkingtobuildjustandharmonious societieswitha vibrant spirit of careand commitment to justice.We commit tocontinuedcommonactiontotackleinjustices,includingthelargescaledisplacementofpersons,and resulting challenges from themigration crises – both for refugees andmigrants and thesocietieswheretheysettle.Wewillmaketheglobalforcedmigrationcrisisapriorityforaction.Wewillleadbyexamplein“welcomingtheother.”Wecommittoinstillingtherespect,mutuality,and solidarity thatareessential topromote,build, and sustain just,harmonious, anddiversecommunities.Across-cuttingcommitmentcanbeeducation, includingreligious literacy, fromearlychildhoodtoadults,thatfocusesonsharedcivicvirtuesandappreciationforsocialdiversity.Wewill develop anAlliance of Virtue basedon a declarationof virtueswidely shared acrossreligioustraditionsandothervirtueheritages.

Wepledgetoprotectchildren,vulnerableindividualsandcommunitiesandadvocatefortheirhumanrightsandwell-beinginthefaceofgravesuffering.Wewillspeakupforcefullyandtakeactionagainst corruptionand for goodgovernance.Wecommitourselves to caringanddeterminedefforttoaddressthecausesandrealityofwidespreadabusesandviolence,especiallyagainstwomenandchildren.Wealsocommittocommoneffortswithinourcommunities,withcivilsocietypartnersandgovernmentstoensureprincipledfreedomofreligionworldwide.We,personsof faith, yearn toprotectholy sites and feel safewithin them.Wewill preserveandprotectholysitesagainstviolenceanddesecration,partneringwiththeUnitedNationsAllianceofCivilizationstoformlivingringsforpeacearoundthem.

SustainableandIntegralHumanDevelopmentandProtectingtheEarth

WecommittohumandevelopmentassetforthintheSustainableDevelopmentGoals

(SDGs).Wewill fostersustainableand integralhumandevelopmentbypromotingthe justice,inclusivecitizenship,andequalopportunitiesinterwoventhroughtheSDGs.Wewillchampionpersonal accountability for sustainable consumption, the dignity of labor, and equitabledistribution of wealth.Wewill honor the insights of science and steward progress in digitaltechnology toward the good of all. We will advance universal access to education. We will

continuetopromotetheroleofwomenandyouthinsocietyandtheirleadershipininstitutionsatthelocal,national,regional,andgloballevels.

We commit to urgent action against the climate crisis. We will mobilize religiouscommunitiestoprotecttheearth–includingthepromotionof“greencongregations.”Leadersandpartnersinthefightagainstenvironmentaldegradation,ourIndigenousbrothersandsistersremindus,“whenMotherEarthsuffers,humanbeingssuffer;whenhumanbeingssuffer,MotherEarthsuffers.”We,guardiansandcaretakersofearth,endorsetheFaithsforForestsDeclaration.We commit to raise awareness about tropical deforestation and to educate our religiouscommunities about the dire spiritual and sustainability crisis. We will take action to liveecologicallybalancedandsustainablelifestylesandadvocateforgovernmentpoliciestoprotectrainforests, defend the rights of Indigenous peoples, and fulfill their pledges to the ParisAgreementonclimatechange.

Call-To-Common-Action Guided by the principles of our own religious traditions, and respectful of religiousdifferences,wepersonallycommittofosteringpositivepeaceassharedwell-being.Wewillbepartnerswithsincerebelieversofotherreligionsandallwomenandmenofgoodwillto:

• producepositivepeacematerials andworkshops formulti-religious contextswith theInstituteforEconomicsandPeace;

• developtoolsandtrainingonthepositiverolesofwomeninpreventingandtransformingconflicts,andontheissueofviolenceagainstthem;

• acknowledgepasthurts–includingacrossreligioustraditions–andfosterpublicactsofforgivenessandreconciliation;

• work for the well-being of refugees and migrants and develop programs ofaccompanimentandsupport;

• urgereligiouscommunitiestoinvesttheirresourcesinalignmentwithachievingtheSDGs;• raisepublicawarenessaboutdeforestationwiththe InterfaithRainforest Initiativeand

throughtheacceptanceandpromotionoftheFaithforForestsDeclaration,takeactionagainstclimatechangeingeneral,andadvocateforpoliciesthatprotecttheearth;

• advancereconciliationasavitaldimensionofpositivePeacewithinpersonsandamongcommunitiesandnationsasperThePeaceCharterforForgivenessandReconciliation;

• committobeingafull-partnertosupporttheInternationalCampaigntoAbolishNuclearWeapons;

• forgeanAllianceofVirtuebasedonadeclarationofvirtueswidelysharedacrossreligioustraditionsandothervirtueheritages.

Wespeakwithhumility,askingforsupportandblessings.