International Prayer for Peace

John DeGioia

April 27, 2006

This publication chronicles the 20th Annual International Prayer for Peace, which took place at Georgetown University on April 26-27, 2006. The theme of the gathering, the first one on US soil, was “Religions and Cultures: the Courage of Dialogue.” The event was organized by the Rome-based Community of Sant’Egidio and has taken place every year since it was fist convened Pope John Paul II in Assisi in 1986. The publication includes highlights from each of the panels, key quotations on interreligious dialogue, and shared faith perspectives on crucial global issues from the body of over 2000 participants representing most of the world’s major faiths—Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Shintoism. Conference participants also joined together in support of the "Appeal for Peace" proclamation drafted for the conference.

Andrea Riccardi, founder of the Community of Sant’Egidio, opened the 2006 International Prayer for Peace by reminding an audience of several hundred in historic Gaston Hall that building common understanding across religious traditions is a foundation for peace. During the panels, leaders of the world’s major faith traditions and charitable groups joined prominent scholars and civic leaders for discussions ranging from religious freedom, terrorism, and the role of religion in the media, to issues about solving the AIDS crisis, poverty, and genocide. The closing ceremony of the International Prayer for Peace convened on the lawn outside historic Healy Hall. Leaders from the world’s major faith traditions rejoined one another after taking part in separate prayer sessions. Dressed in formal robes, traditional suits, and colorful headdresses, they gathered at a nearby street in Georgetown and began their slow procession to Georgetown’s main campus for the closing ceremonies.

Table of Contents
International Prayer for Peace
Opening Ceremony
Panel Discussions
Closing Ceremony
Appeal for Peace

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