LEADERSHIP
Guided by over 100 leaders
representing the world’s faith communities.
The World Council serves as the global leadership body of Religions for Peace, facilitating multi-level multi-religious action that includes the empowerment and equipping-for-action of national and regional Interreligious Councils (IRCs), Interfaith Youth Networks (IYNs) and Women of Faith Networks (WoFNs).
*Members with an asterisk have been elected to additionally serve on the Executive Committee of Religions for Peace.
Co-Moderators
Shaykh Dr. Abdallah Bin Bayyah*
President, Abu Dhabi Forum for Peace; Co-Moderator, Religions for Peace (Mauritania/UAE)
Muslim, United Arab Emirates
Rev. Kosho Niwano*
President-Designate, Rissho Kosei-Kai; Co-Moderator, Religions for Peace
Buddhist, Japan
H.E. Metropolitan Emmanuel*
Elder Metropolitan of Chalcedon, Ecumenical Patriarchate; Co-Moderator, Religions for Peace
Christian, Turkey
Secretary General
Dr. Francis Kuria*
Secretary General, Religions for Peace International; Secretary General – African Council of Religious Leaders – Religions for Peace
Treasurer
Mr. Bob Boisture*
President and CEO Emeritus, The Fetzer Institute; Treasurer, Religions for Peace
United States
Co-Presidents
H.E. Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam
Senior Representative of His Eminence Grand Imam of Al-Azhar; Secretary-General of the Higher Committee on Human Fraternity and the Muslim Council of Elders; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Muslim, Egypt
Dr. Michel Abs
General Secretary, Middle East Council of Churches (MECC); Co-President, Religions for Peace
Lebanon
H.M. Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III
Sultan of Sokoto, Sultanate of Sokoto; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Muslim, Nigeria
Dr. Pritpal Kaur Ahluwalia
Faith and Religious Education Lead, Nishkam Schools Multi-Academy Trust; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Sikh, United States
Hon. Dr. Layla Alkhafaji*
Elected Member of Political Bureau-Alhikmah Movement; Former Member of Iraqi Council of Representatives – Parliament; Former International Relations Director – Al Hakim Foundation, Co-President, Religions for Peace (Iraq)
Muslim, Iraq
Dr. Mohammad Al-Sammak
Secretary General, Christian-Muslim Committee for Dialogue; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Muslim, Lebanon
Dr. Swami Atmapriyananda
Senior Monk, Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Hindu, India
H.H. Dah Couchoro Balogoun
President, National Voudon Council of Benin; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Indigenous, Benin
H.E. Cardinal Charles Bo*
Archbishop of Yangon, Co-President, Religions for Peace (Myanmar)
Christian, Myanmar
Most Ven. Dr. Phra Brahmapundit (Prayoon Dhammacitto)
Former rector, Maha Chulalongkorn Buddhit University; Member, Sangha Supreme Council of Thailand; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Buddhist, Thailand
H.E. Archimandrite Philaret Bulekov
Vice Chairman, Moscow Patriarchate Department of External Church Relations; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Christian, Russia
Most. Rev. Archbishop Miguel Cabrejos
Former President, Latin American Catholic Episcopal Council (CELAM); Co-President, Religions for Peace
Christian, Peru
H.E. Cardinal Blasé J. Cupich
Archbishop of Chicago, United States; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Christian, United States
Sayadaw Dr. K. Dhammasami
Oxford Buddha Vihara; The International Association of Buddhist Universities; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Buddhist, Myanmar/UK
Ms. Bani Dugal
Principal Representative to the United Nations, Bahá’í International Community; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Bahá’í, United States
Mr. Claudio Epelman
Executive Director of the Latin American Jewish Congress, Commissioner for Interreligious Dialogue, branch of the World Jewish Congress; Representative to the Holy See of the World Jewish Congress; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Jewish, Argentina
Hon. Ela Gandhi
Chairperson, Gandhi Development Trust; Co-President of Religions for Peace
Hindu, South Africa
Mr. Homi Gandhi
Former President, Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America; Emeritus Co-Chair, FEZANA Interfaith Activities Committee; Co-Chair, Zarathushti Entrepreneurship Development Foundation (ZEDF); Co-President, Religions for Peace
Zoroastrian, United States
H.E. Dr. Nedzad Grabus*
Mufti of Sarajevo, Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Muslim, Slovenia
Ven. Li Guangfu
President, Chinese Taoist Association; Vice President, China Committee on Religions and Peace (CCRP); Co-President, Religions for Peace
Taoist, China
Sheikh Muhammed Yusuf Hallar
Secretary General, Islamic Organization for Latin America and the Caribbean; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Muslim, Argentina
Sheikh Dr. Hamza Yusuf Hanson
Founder, Zaytuna Institute; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Muslim, United States
Ms. Sheran Harper
Former Chair of the Board of Trustees for Mothers’ Union; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Christian, Guyana
Elder Matthew S. Holland
General Authority Seventy, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Ven. Young-in Sa
Executive Director, Department of International Affairs, Won Buddhism; Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Interfaith Coalition Conference for Global Citizens; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Buddhist, South Korea
Imam Mohamed Magid
Executive Imam, All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) Center; Chairman, International Interfaith Peace Corps (IIPC) Co-President, Religions for Peace
Muslim, United States
Ayatollah Ahmad Moballeghi
Rector, University of Islamic Religions of Iran; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Muslim, Iran
Dr. Haedar Nashir
Chair, Muhammadiyah, Indonesia Co-President, Religions for Peace
Muslim, Indonesia
H.E. Cardinal Dieudonné Nzapalainga*
Archbishop of Bangui, Central African Republic Co-President, Religions for Peace
Christian, Central African Republic
Dr. Aruna Oswal
Chairperson, Abhey Oswal Group & Aruna Abhey Oswal Trust; Co-President and International Trustee, Religions for Peace
Jain, India
H.E. Cardinal Philippe Ouédraogo
Archbishop of Ouagadougou, Co-President, Religions for Peace
Christian, Burkina Faso
Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh
Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims` Board; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Muslim, Azerbaijan
Reverend Jerry Pillay
General Secretary of the World Council of Churches; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Dr. Elizabeth H. Prodromou
Visiting Professor, Boston College; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Orthodox, United States
Dr. Anantanand Rambachan
Professor Emeritus of Religion, St. Olaf College; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Hindu, India
Grand-Father Dominique Rankin
Algonquin Hereditary Grand Chief Co-President, Religions for Peace
Indigenous, Canada
Chief Rabbi David Rosen, KSG CBE*
Special Advisor to the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Jewish, Israel
H.E. Dr. Koutoub Moustapha Sano
Secretary, International Islamic Fiqh Academy; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Muslim
Dr. Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati
President, Divine Shakti Foundation; Secretary General, Global Interfaith WASH Alliance; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Hindu, India
H.E. Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh
Chairman, Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha; Co-President and International Trustee, Religions for Peace
Sikh, United Kingdom
K.H. Yahya Cholil Staquf
General Chairman, Nahdlatul Ulama, Co-President, Religions for Peace
Muslim, Indonesia
H.H. Shri Shri Sugunendra Teertha Swamiji
Abbot, Sri Putige Matha Monastery; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Hindu, India
H.E. Bishop Mary Ann Swenson
Bishop, United Methodist Church Co-President, Religions for Peace
Christian, United States
Serigne Mansour Sy
President, Federation of Islamic Associations of Senegal Co-President, Religions for Peace
Muslim, Senagal
H.E. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle
Pro-Prefect, Dicastery for Evangelization; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Christian, Philippines
Master Ven. Yan Jue
Executive President, China Buddhist Association; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Buddhist, China
Dr. Maria Lia Zervino
Former President General, World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations (WUCWO)
Christian, Argentina
Commissioner M. Christine MacMillan
Senior Advisor, UN Mission & Chair World Evangelical Alliance (WEA); Co-president World Council Religions for Peace
Christian, Canada
Regional Moderators
H.E. Raymundo Cardinal Damasceno Assis
Archbishop Emeritus of Aparecida, Archdiocese of Aparecida, Sao Paulo; Moderator, Religions for Peace-Latin America and Caribbean Council of Religious Leaders
Christian, Brazil
Emeritus Professor Desmond Cahill
Chair, Religions for Peace Australia; Moderator, Asian Conference of Religions for Peace; Honorary President, Religions for Peace Australia; Emeritus Professor of Intercultural Studies, RMIT University, Melbourne; Foundation Member, Police Multifaith Council; Board Member, Australian Multicultural Community Services
H.E. Sheikh Shaban Mubaje
Grand Mufti, Uganda Muslim Supreme Council; Co-Chair, Religions for Peace-African Council of Religious Leaders
Muslim, Uganda
International Women's Coordinating Committee Representatives
Sr. Agatha Ogochukwu Chikelue, DMMM*
Executive Director, Cardinal Onaiyekan Foundation for Peace (COFP); Chair, International Women's Coordinating Committee, Religions for Peace; Co-Chair, Nigerian & African Women of Faith Network
Christian, Nigeria
Rev. Megumi Wada
Director, International Interreligious Cooperation, Rissho Kosei-kai, Japan; Deputy Chair, International Women's Coordinating Committee, Religions for Peace Japan
Buddhist, Japan
International Youth Committee Representatives
Dr. Renz C. Argao*
President & CEO, Argao Health Inc.; Chief Psychologist, Argao Psych; Coordinator, International Youth Committee, Religions for Peace; Moderator, Asia & the Pacific Interfaith Youth Network (The Philippines)
Christian, Philippines
Ms. Emina Frljak
Program Coordinator, Youth for Peace; Deputy Coordinator, International Youth Committee
Islam, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Secretary General Emeritus
Dr. William F. Vendley
Vice President, World Religions and Spirituality, The Fetzer Institute; Secretary General Emeritus, Religions for Peace (United States)
United States