22.11.2023

Peace among the People

At the conference, Volker Martin Dally (2nd from left), the current UEM General Secretary, is present, as well as Andar Parlindungan (right) who will take the office in march 2024. Photo by: PGI

“All religions need to raise the topic of peace to be offered to all people. This is important to respond to the challenges in today's life. Apart from that, efforts also need to be given to maintaining peace”, said Bishop Dr. Abednego Keshomshahara during his opening speech of the third International Peace Conference. He is Moderator of the United Evangelical Mission, presiding its General Assembly and Council. The conference has started in Indonesia’s capital city of Jakarta, bringing together more than 50 members of different faiths from Asia, Africa and Europe. It is hosted by UEM and PGI*.

After a conference in Germany in 2017 and one in Tanzania in 2019, this is now the third conference in the row, and the first one in Indonesia. It not just gathers individuals from Buddhism, Judaism, Islam and Christianity, but representatives of interfaith organizations that have experience in both international and interreligious work, as well as being rooted in their own respective traditions.

Jochen Motte, UEM Executive Secretary for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation, reminded participants that just like the two previous meetings, this third conference must produce wise and real responses to the global crisis that is happening today and not spend too much energy on unnecessary debates.

Rev. Gomar Gultom, Chairman of the PGI, said in his speech: “The needs of the people are like five loaves of bread and the two fish in the Bible. Unfortunately, in today's context, religion has difficulty providing adequate access for people to access the bread and the fish which are symbols of their needs. This is why, this conference must be able to provide inspiration to turn words into action, so that existing problems can be overcome with real solutions.”

*PGI = Persekutuan Gereja-Gereja di Indonesia (Communion of Churches in Indonesia: umbrella association of protestant churches on a national level)