Indian Ocean Island Nations Forge Concrete Roadmap for Action at Fourth Regional Symposium

Island states of the Indian Ocean approved a new action plan after convening in Mauritius for their fourth symposium – the first such gathering since the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting featured the participation of Mauritius’s Vice President

“The fourth Interreligious Symposium marks a vital, structured resurgence of our regional network after the long disruptions of the pandemic,” said Rev. Philippe Goupille, President of the Council of Religions. “Together with our sister islands—Seychelles, Madagascar, Réunion, and Mauritius—we have developed our 2026–2028 Regional Action Plan, to galvanize our collaboration.

“We didn’t just discuss harmony; we established a concrete roadmap to professionalize our councils and directly confront the urgent realities of climate change, social inequality, and community polarization.”

Delegates to the symposium centered their dialogue on finding concerted, regional responses to pressing modern issues, including climate change, social inequalities, the marginalization of youth, and community polarization.

In his address to delegates, Religions for Peace Secretary General Dr. Francis Kuria urged them to translate their deliberations into concrete action.

“The world is not short of dialogue,” Dr. Kuria said. “We have conferences, declarations, communiqués, and summits. What the world is short of is the courage to act on what we already know to be true.”

He also presented key elements of the Shared Sacred Flourishing framework.

Shared Sacred Flourishing “challenges the dominant materialist worldview that reduces flourishing to economic growth and political stability, and asks a harder question: flourishing for whom, and at what cost to others?”

Overall, the Symposium has rejuvenated collaboration across the island nations: “Through the Symposium, I am confident we are moving forward to professionalize, better structure, and strengthen national interreligious councils on each island to improve their local effectiveness and regional coordination” said Rev. Goupille.

The event also served as a preface to the Religions for Peace International Council meeting, which COR is co-sponsoring with Religions for Peace in Mauritius, June 23-25.