Developing New Interreligious Councils

In the next few years, Religions for Peace - USA will be working to create interreligious platforms on the local and regional level throughout the U.S.. A number of medium- and large-sized communities still lack an interreligious structure.

The International Secretariat of Religions for Peace has been successful in creating interreligious councils globally to assist in addressing societal problems by capitalizing on natural strengths of religious communities. For example, one of their recent success stories was the interreligious council established in Iraq in the summer of 2003. Following our two year Diversity and Community Project, religious leaders of several U.S. communities have requested that Religions for Peace assist with doing the same here in the U.S. context.

Through the support of the Rockefeller Foundation, Religions for Peace - USA will accomplish three things, in 2004:

1) initiate and develop a minimum of three local interreligious councils in U.S. communities where they are currently lacking and seen as an identifiable asset to community problems,

2) create and refine existing materials into a guidebook on eveloping interreligious councils for peacemaking,

3) and raise public awareness of the programs and resources of Religions for Peace in assisting local and regional communities in their interfaith efforts.