Mission Principles

Three basic principles guide the mission, structure and function of the ACRL, and all Religions for Peace structures: Respect for Religious Differences Taking Common Action on “Deeply Held and Widely Shared" Concerns Representativity Respect for Religious Differences Religions for Peace is buillt upon a respectful acknowledgement of religious differences. There is never an attempt to “blend” or “mix” beliefs or forms of worship coming from different religious traditions. Taking Common Action on “Deeply Held and Widely Shared Concerns Religions for Peace provides a platform where representatives of religious communities can discern “deeply held and widely shared” moral concerns. Areas of shared moral concern provividing a starting point for developing a common agenda for multi-religious cooperation. Historically, areas of shared concern within Religions for Peace have included issues related to disarmament, conflict transformation, human rights, sustainable development, and the well being of children. The Council will discern and address challenges that are the shared concern of the religious communities in Africa represented on the Council. Representativity Religions for Peace is committed to presentativity” as a principle of constructivity. Religions for Peace’s bodies on all levels of organization: local, national, regional, and world-wide. Participantsnts in Religions for Peace’s networks are those within a religious community who are recognized by that community, in either a formal or de facto fashion, to represent it within a multi-religious forum. Rather than seeking participation simply as individuals, or “voice” to members of the religious community, Religions for Peace principle are attentive to, and respectful of, the ways religious communities have organized themselves.

Context of Acrl Formation

The enormous challenges facing Africa – poverty, conflict, HIV/AIDS – require responses that can scale-up partnerships across national, ethnic and religious borders. Religions have unique spiritual, moral, and sociaal “assets” that can be applied to addressing the major problems facing human society and to achieving the common good.

Mobilizing the capacities and assets of Africa’s religious communities to respond to the current challenges facing the continent requires new mechanisms that transcend national and religious boundaries. They can compliment and reinforce the pan-African social, economic, security and political institutions such as the African Union, The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).

The recently formed African Council of Religious Leaders-Religions for Peace (ACRL) is emerging as the foremost pan-African multi-religious body. It is led by senior religious leaders drawn from each of Africa’s main religious traditions and all parts of the continent. The ACRL was created to strengthen cooperation among leaders and senior representatives of religious communities across the continent to serve the common good. This new regional mechanism adds considerable value by providing a common forum for determining shared concerns and strategies, by strengthening the common advocacy voice of Africa’s main religions, and by offering an efficient way for other key actors to build partnerships with religious communities.

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The ACRL held its inaugural meeting in June 2003 in Abuja, Nigeria, presided over by H.E. Chief Olusegun Obansanjo, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It’s formation came in response to a call made by participants at toäihhhu8iihe 2002 African Religious Leaders Assembly on Children and HIV/AIDS for a permanent inter-religious leadership body at the continental level and delegates requested the Wovrevrld Conference of Religions for Peace to facilitate under its auspices the formation of the ACRL, as it regional leadership body in Africa. The Executive Board elected in Abuja has continued to meet and take action in response to situations of conflict in Africa, including Liberia, Cote d’Ivoire, and Sudan; as well as to the tremendous challenge posed by HIV/AIDS. In June 2004, the Executive Board held meetings with the Chairman and senior staff of the Commission of the African Union in Addis Ababa, which served as the basis for developing a more formal collaborative relationship between the ACRL and the AUxfdr.