Major Zones of Conflict Send Religious Leaders to Participate in the World Peace Summit

New York-[August 25, 2000]-Opening at the United Nations on August 28th, The Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders will bring together more than 1,000 religious and spiritual leaders of the world's diverse faith traditions. Many of those attending are preeminent religious leaders from current zones of conflict-such as the Balkans, Sierra Leone, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Philippines, Rwanda and Sudan. One aim of the Summit is to engage these leaders in frank and meaningful discussions of how they can work together to reduce tensions in their regions.

At the Summit, the leaders will discuss how to harness the power of religious tolerance and spiritual faith to educate and mobilize their communities to focus on reducing divisions and ancient antipathies. After meeting at the U.N. headquarters these leaders will continue to engage in two-day working group session at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel to devise special initiatives to address regional conflict as well as poverty issues, environmental degradation, and forgiveness and reconciliation.

Anticipated outcomes of the Summit are a Declaration for World Peace, and plans for the establishment of an ongoing International Advisory Council of Religious and Spiritual Leaders. This Council can serve as a resource for the UN Secretary-General and the UN system in its conflict prevention and resolution efforts.

The Summit is being convened by an independent group of interfaith leaders, religious scholars and theologians.

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