Beyond War and Towards Reconciliation:
Multi-Religious Peace Roundtables
The Second Tokyo Peace Roundtable
18-21 February 2024
Tokyo, Japan

Statement
We, religious leaders, representatives of diverse faiths, bodies, and religious institutions (Buddhism,Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism) from Colombia, Haiti, India, Israel, Japan, Kenya, Mali,Myanmar, Palestine, Peru, Russia, Spain, Türkiye, Ukraine, and the United States, coming fromcontexts of ongoing conflict and war, came together for the Second Tokyo Peace Roundtable, tobuild trust, heal divisions, and foster forgiveness and reconciliation for more peaceful, just, andinclusive societies.
We are deeply concerned at the unimaginable suffering that people are undergoing in conflict zones
throughout the world, including in Haiti, the Middle East, Myanmar, and Ukraine.
We recognise that the foundations of peace and security are threatened in every region of the world,
while the most vulnerable – women, children, and marginalised peoples – are caught in the crossfire
and disproportionately suffering from severe violence, displacement, and other human rights
violations.
Inspired by the divine teachings of our respective religions and beliefs, we unite in our multi-religious
vision of peace, and our common responsibility to serve as bridge-builders and peacemakers, and tofoster reconciliation and positive relationships in our war-torn communities.
We are grateful to one another for the table we shared, and to our hosts – Religions for Peace International,
Religions for Peace Japan, and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations – for convening us aroundthis multi-religious peace roundtable.
Building on key learnings from the first Tokyo Peace Roundtable, we engaged in a meaningful dialogue,
exchanging reflections and recommendations on addressing ongoing conflict and persistent barriers
to multi-religious action for healing and reconciliation.
We reaffirm that we all belong to one human family and bear a collective responsibility to advanceaction for shared well-being and human flourishing. We denounce war and violence, recognising its
violation of the sacred principle of upholding the sanctity of life and human dignity.
As religious leaders representing diverse faiths, we collectively affirm that:
The sanctity of life and human dignity must be upheld and protected at all times, recognisingthat all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights;1

Religious leaders have a shared responsibility to foster positive peace, and promotecompassion and understanding of our shared humanity and well-being; and,

The provision of humanitarian assistance to conflict-affected populations must bedepoliticised and grounded upon the restoration of peace, security, justice, and human dignity.

Together, we call for:
The cessation and transformation of all ongoing wars, conflicts, and the use of violence andweapons – including nuclear, conventional, cyber weapons, and improvised explosive devices– based on our collective responsibility to resolve disputes through peaceful means that upholdand protect the sanctity of life and human dignity;

The conservation and protection of the sanctity of, and safe and free access to, houses of worshipand holy sites, in both times of war and conflicts, and in times of peace and harmony;

The collaboration of all religious and faith communities and stakeholders in advancing positivepeace;A continuation of multi-religious peace dialogues that convene religious leaders and otherstakeholders, including civil society and the media, from all sides of conflicts to build trust,share wisdom, and cultivate interfaith cooperation and harmony.

In the realisation of our multi-religious vision of peace, we commit to the following collective actions:
Work together, as bridge-builders and peacemakers, in ensuring that no one is left behind incommon action to address severe violence, displacement, and other human rights violations;Mobilise our religious assets and communities to provide humanitarian assistance for war-torncommunities, including children and other vulnerable populations, and advance interfaithcooperation for the common good and the protection of our common home;Cultivate and promote sustained engagement of stakeholders, including women and youth, inadvancing common action for shared well-being and human flourishing;Build positive peace through long-term processes for healing and reconciliation to avoid therecurrence and perpetuation of war and violence;Promote unity and healing among families and communities that have been harmed andseparated by the abovementioned conflicts and wars that create violence, abuse andexploitation, and other human rights violations; and,

Continue to convene the Multi-Religious Peace Roundtables to build trust, heal divisions,and foster forgiveness and reconciliation for more peaceful, just, and inclusive societies.

We, religious leaders, offer our heartfelt prayers and unwavering solidarity to those suffering the bruntof ongoing wars and violence. We reaffirm our commitment to continue to pray and work multireligiously towards a culture of peace that advances shared well-being, grounded in respect for thesanctity of life and human dignity.
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