Addis Ababa(WNAM Monitoring): State Minister of Peace, Kairedin Tezera stressed the need to create a platform for religious leaders to share best practices and develop the initiative for peacebuilding and environmental stewardship.
The Second International Religious Institutions conference kicked off today in Addis Ababa.
The two-day conference brought together faith leaders and religiously linked institutions from various countries to discuss pressing issues, foster understanding and promote peaceful coexistence across the globe.
The conference aims to foster peace, human dignity, development, and preservation of the environment, and to counter hate speech, violence and xenophobia in Africa and across the world.
Speaking at the occasion, Peace State Minister Kairedin Tezera said “we stand at a crossroads. The winds of change are upon us marked by climate in crisis, yearning for societies where human dignity and rights are the cornerstone of policy and action.”
At this juncture, the work of religious fathers regarding peace building and environment protection is critical than ever, he stressed.
For generations, faith fathers have served as anchors of peace and foster dialogue, he underscored, adding that “today, this could be more urgent than ever.”
The globe is entangled with mammoth challenges such as climate crisis, displacement, conflict, and drought.
“Yet, in the middle of these challenges, there is reason for hope. Religious peacebuilding offers a powerful path forward. It is the moral authority to bridge difference, promote empathy, inspire collective action for a given legacies and secures sustainable peace,” the state minister underlined.
Faith communities have a unique capacity to speak to the hearts and minds of people, fostering understanding and cooperation regardless of ethnic and cultural identities.
Therefore, he underlined “ Let us create a platform for religious leaders to share best practices, extensive knowledge and develop the initiative for peace building and environmental stewardship.”
We have witnessed the transformative power of religion in peacebuilding, he noted, adding the Ministry of Peace has taken exemplary action.
The interfaith council which has been established brings together religious leaders from diverse traditions to address human challenges, including the critical issue of environment, he said.
A Green Legacy Initiative, a nationwide tree planting program exemplifies powerful link between religious peace building and developmental action, according to the state minister.
Faith leaders have been instrumental in mobilizing communities, emphasizing the connection between a healthy environment and a peaceful society.
“This initiative not only combats deforestation, but also fosters a sense of shared purpose and collective responsibility for the future,” he underscored.
Inter-Religious Council of Ethiopia, Secretary General Kesis Tagay Tadele said on his part that the conference will provide opportunities to discussion on key issues in which religious communities have deep interest and come up with recommendation to advance this interfaith harmony and human dignity, and preservation of the environmental.
