Lately, there has been a growing call to harness the constructive role of religion in advancing global peacebuilding and sustainable development. It is often observed that if religion is not part of the solution, it risks becoming part of the problem. With their moral authority, extensive human networks, and community outreach, religious groups hold tremendous potential to foster peace and development. Across the world, faith-based actors have mediated conflicts, facilitated trauma healing, and delivered humanitarian assistance in conflict zones. Many also promote sustainable development by encouraging lifestyles and practices that respect ecological balance.
Despite this potential, the rich narratives and traditions of religious peacebuilding have long been underexplored in scholarship and public policy. Only in recent decades has academic discourse begun to recognise the resources of world religions in peacebuilding. This emerging body of knowledge seeks to highlight both historical traditions and contemporary practices of faith communities in nurturing peace.
Ironically, this recognition has come at a time when religion is often misused to incite hatred and violence. A 2018 study reported that more than a quarter of the world's countries faced high levels of hostility linked to religious hatred, mob violence, terrorism, or restrictions on women for violating religious codes. Against this backdrop, interreligious partnerships for peace and solidarity have assumed greater importance—especially during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. In times of uncertainty, people often turn to faith leaders, who, owing to their deep trust relationship with followers, are uniquely placed to counter misinformation, ease fears, and guide communities spiritually and practically.
During the pandemic, many faith-based organisations and houses of worship collaborated across religious boundaries, demonstrating the power of joint action. Recognising this, UN Secretary-General António Guterres appealed to religious leaders to unite for peace and collective action against COVID-19 (UN, 2020). Similarly, the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) urged faith-based organisations to support the Global Humanitarian Response Plan, ensuring that essential relief reached the most vulnerable populations. In the evolving "post-secular" global environment, the UN has emerged as a pivotal platform for fostering dialogue between religious NGOs, faith communities, and humanitarian-development actors to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Interreligious Dialogue
Interreligious dialogue seeks mutual understanding, respect, and cooperation among diverse faith communities, despite differences. Such dialogue provides an alternative paradigm—shifting from adversarial debates to collective efforts in finding common ground. Although forms of multireligious collaboration can be traced back to ancient civilizations, it is only in recent decades that interreligious or interfaith dialogue has attracted global attention. Increasingly, religion is being recognised as a vital resource for community peace and sustainable development.
In current discourse, the terms interreligious dialogue and interfaith dialogue are often used interchangeably, though scholars and practitioners debate their nuances. Many prefer interreligious dialogue (IRD), since not all world religions place equal emphasis on "faith" as understood in Western traditions. Nevertheless, both terms reflect the same imperative: the need for dialogue between religious traditions to strengthen peace and cooperation.
In the modern era, spiritual leaders such as Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa (1836–1886), Swami Vivekananda (1863–1902), and Mahatma Gandhi significantly shaped traditions of interreligious understanding in India. Ramakrishna, for instance, famously observed after practising multiple religions: "The lake has many shores. At one, the Hindu draws water in a pitcher and calls it jala; at another, the Muslim takes it in a leather bag and calls it pani; at a third, the Christian finds what he calls water." Gandhi, in turn, promoted constructive engagement across religions, drawing inspiration from the best teachings of each tradition as a basis for peaceful coexistence.
Today, interreligious dialogue continues to provide a shared space for scholars, activists, and faith leaders to deepen their understanding of their own traditions while contributing to evolving norms, pedagogy, and practices of peacebuilding. It represents both a timeless spiritual value and a contemporary necessity in building resilient, inclusive, and sustainable societies.
