Parliamentarians and religious leaders from around the world have issued a powerful call for peace, hope and solidarity at the conclusion of the Second Parliamentary Conference on Interfaith Dialogue: Strengthening trust and embracing hope for our common future.
The event, jointly organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Parliament of Italy with support from Religions for Peace, was held in Rome from 19 to 20 June 2025, marking the Jubilee Year declared by the late Pope Francis. Delegates will also have an audience with Pope Leo XIV on 21 June.
The Conference brought together hundreds of MPs, including Speakers, as well as religious leaders, UN officials, civil society representatives, and international experts from close to 100 countries, responding to the motto of the Jubilee Year to be “pilgrims of hope” amid a climate of growing conflict, polarization and the weaponization of religion.
Amid escalating wars and global unrest, Rome was the epicentre of parliamentary diplomacy and interfaith dialogue this week with the IPU and the Italian Parliament creating a unique space to unite parliamentary and religious leaders from around the world to find new and badly needed avenues for peace.
In their final declaration, the Rome Communiqué, the parliamentarians and religious leaders unequivocally condemn the misuse of religion or belief to incite hatred or violence.
The Communiqué emphasizes that interfaith dialogue — grounded in human dignity, inclusivity and respect for the rule of law — can prevent division, foster healing and build trust between communities.
It highlights the shared roles and joint responsibility of parliamentarians and religious leaders in advancing justice, dignity and human development, working together for peaceful coexistence.
Parliamentarians and religious leaders are urged to uphold democratic values, protect vulnerable groups, and promote ethical leadership through inclusion, compassion, accountability and solidarity.
The Communiqué stresses the importance of peace education, digital and human rights literacy, and empowering women and youth as well as people in situations of vulnerability.
The Rome Conference included sessions on upholding the rights of religious minorities, countering polarization, promoting the inclusion of women in public life and ensuring freedom of religion or belief.
Alongside many Speakers and Deputy Speakers of Parliament, notable delegates included Cardinal George Koovakad, President of the Dicastery of Interreligious Dialogue in the Vatican, Rabbi David Saperstein, former US Ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, Imam Yahya Pallavicini, Chairman of the European Muslim Leaders’ Majlis, Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos, High Representative of the UN Alliance of Civilizations, Dr. Nazila Ghanea, UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, and many others.
The Conference builds on the momentum of the inaugural Parliamentary Conference on Interfaith Dialogue, held in Marrakesh, Morocco, in June 2023, which resulted in the Marrakesh Communiqué.
In the lead up to the Rome Conference, the IPU released the second part of its Parliamentary Report on Religion and Belief, Engagement with religion and belief by parliamentarians, which underscores the vital role of MPs in fostering peaceful, just and inclusive societies.
The IPU also released the latest episode in its podcast series IPU on air, on the power of interfaith dialogue.
Rome Communiqué
We, parliamentarians from around the world, have convened in Rome with representatives of religions and beliefs, faith-based and other civil society organizations, academia and international experts, for the Second Parliamentary Conference on Interfaith Dialogue. The Conference has been organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Parliament of Italy, with the support of Religions for Peace, and is taking place during the Year of Jubilee called by the late Pope Francis. It follows the first Parliamentary Conference on Interfaith Dialogue held in Marrakesh in 2023 and carries forward and builds on the spirit and aspirations of the Marrakesh Communiqué.
We meet at a time of deep uncertainty, marked by escalating conflicts and violence between States and communities, increasing disillusionment with multilateralism, the erosion of the rules-based international order, challenges to democratic institutions and human rights norms, and anxiety about the future and health of our planet. This crisis of solidarity and accountability calls for society as a whole to come together for peace. This moment calls on us to deepen our resolve and our efforts, not only to reaffirm our shared commitments but to consolidate our resolve to build our common future.
We reject the misuse of religions or beliefs or the manipulation of their followers to incite hatred and violence, for example for electoral purposes or political gains. When religion or belief is used to set up or deepen fault lines, it undermines public trust, endangers lives, and weakens the very principles of dignity and equality that sustain peaceful societies. This diverts it from the power it has for building bridges of understanding and cross-community compassion and solidarity.
We are especially concerned about toxic language and narratives that discriminate against and dehumanize individuals or communities based on religion or belief, often amplified by digital technologies that are increasingly used to divide societies and scapegoat communities.
In the face of these challenges, we affirm that interfaith dialogue, grounded in human dignity and rights, inclusivity and respect for the rule of law, offers a vital bulwark against dehumanization and polarization. Interfaith dialogue and action strengthen trust between communities and institutions, nurturing the hope needed to jointly build a peaceful and inclusive future.
Trust and hope are not abstract ideals but practical necessities. Trust — in institutions, between communities, including those of different religious or belief persuasions, and in public leadership in every sphere and at every level of society — strengthens social cohesion. Hope — for justice, dignity and inclusion — sustains belief in the possibility of a better tomorrow. We believe that interfaith dialogue is a powerful tool to prevent division, foster healing, and build our shared future.
We further affirm that human dignity remains the foundation of peace. Every person, regardless of their religion, belief, ethnicity or gender, deserves respect and equal treatment. Upholding this dignity, which guarantees an environment in which humans can flourish, and certainly includes the right to live free from violence, discrimination and exclusion, is the cornerstone of all efforts to promote justice, peace and sustainable development. – 2 –
We recognize the essential role of parliamentary and religious diplomacy in fostering dialogue, cooperation and trust between communities. While parliamentarians and religious leaders serve different mandates, both are responsible for advancing justice, promoting dignity and supporting human development. Dialogue and cooperation between them — when principled, inclusive and rights-based — contributes to more resilient and cohesive societies.
Parliamentarians can and must uphold democratic values and inclusive governance for all. Through their law-making, budgetary, oversight and representational roles, they must protect the human rights of all, including those most vulnerable to discrimination — among them women, youth, forcibly displaced people, religious or belief minorities, Indigenous Peoples, asylum seekers and refugees, and marginalized groups.
As public figures, parliamentarians contribute to shaping public opinion and discourse — as can religious and belief representatives or leaders, who often serve as sources of moral guidance, social service delivery and conflict mediation. We therefore emphasize the need for ethical, strong and responsible leadership — rooted in inclusion, equality, respect, justice, integrity, trust, accountability, solidarity and compassion. Such leadership, when grounded in service to the common good, is essential for building trust in institutions and fostering cohesive, resilient societies.
We further acknowledge the vital role of education for peace in equipping societies with the tools to think critically, engage empathetically, and resist fear-based and divisive rhetoric. We call for sustained investment in peer learning and other initiatives that promote digital and human rights literacy and interfaith understanding, as fundamental to the roles of both parliamentarians and religious or belief representatives and leaders.
We commit to doing our part in efforts to de-escalate polarization and protect civic space by denouncing and dismantling religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence — in politics, media, education and religious discourse. We further commit to addressing discriminatory laws, and any form of exclusion or violence targeting individuals and communities.
We reaffirm that freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, including the right to change one’s belief, is a universal and inalienable human right which has been enshrined in international law within the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966). Yet no society is free from violations of this right, and individuals and communities continue to face discrimination, persecution or restrictions based on their religion or belief. We highlight the role of parliaments in safeguarding this right through fostering inclusive citizenship, grassroots understanding, educational efforts, and legal protections in their domestic legal systems, including through the adoption of comprehensive anti-discrimination laws.
We reaffirm the full and equal rights of women and girls, who often face intersecting forms of discrimination, including those justified in the name of religion, belief or tradition. We recognize the critical roles of women in political and religious life and highlight the importance of their inclusion in interfaith dialogue and in key roles in promoting peaceful coexistence. We welcome the progress made in increasing women’s representation in parliament and affirm the importance of continued efforts to overcome gender-based barriers and ensure the full participation of women in public life. We deplore recent attempts to roll back this progress.
We acknowledge the indispensable role of faith communities in supporting people in vulnerable situations. We support partnerships between parliamentarians and religious or belief communities to uphold the human rights and dignity of all on an equal basis, including those belonging to marginalized groups.
Finally, we recognize that young people, as agents of peace and interfaith understanding, must be empowered to shape the decisions about the future they are set to inherit through opportunities for meaningful participation and action for society and the health of our planet.
We encourage all parliaments to undertake the following actions:
• Strengthen provisions for freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief and other human rights in law and in practice, ensuring equal treatment and protection for all, regardless of religious affiliation or belief system.
- Counter hate speech, polarizing and dehumanizing narratives and the weaponization of religion or belief by speaking out against toxic language, promoting inclusive public discourse – including by engaging with both traditional and social media – and adopting measures that punish advocacy of religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence, while protecting freedom of expression and applying the threshold test of the Rabat Plan of Action.
- Counter digital threats to democracy and human dignity, including disinformation, online hate speech, and the manipulation of public opinion, and promote responsible use of digital platforms and AI by advocating for robust regulation that ensures these technologies uphold democratic values and respect for human rights, and protect public trust. The IPU Charter on the Ethics of Science and Technology is intended to serve as a powerful tool in this regard.
- Foster ethical leadership rooted in justice, compassion, integrity, humility and the common good, ensuring transparency, accountability, responsible governance and service to the public. • Establish or enhance parliamentary bodies and mechanisms dedicated to interfaith and intercultural dialogue, and promote structured engagement with religious and faith-based actors.
- Support peace education and religious literacy initiatives, including through dedicated curricula that promote inclusion, empathy, critical thinking and respect for human rights, starting from an early age. • Engage with religious representatives and leaders and faith-based actors in the process of addressing areas of possible tensions between some interpretations of religious traditions and human rights. • Ensure meaningful and inclusive participation by women, youth, persons with disabilities and people in vulnerable situations in political, cultural, religious, social, economic and public life, and take firm action against gender-based discrimination and violence. • Participate in the IPU campaigns Achieving gender equality, action by action, and I Say Yes to Youth in Parliament!.
- Safeguard civic space and engage with civil society, including faith-based organizations, to co-create solutions to societal challenges.
- Protect and respect places of worship, as they link to people’s identities and generate shared connections, pilgrimages and multifaith spiritual experiences. • Engage with the IPU’s work on religion and belief, as a platform for parliamentary engagement on interfaith dialogue.
- Enhance parliamentary and multi-stakeholder diplomacy, including faith and civil society leaders and other societal actors, as recommended by the Pact for the Future (Action 55) to collaboratively promote peace and inclusion globally.
- Consider organizing a dedicated session in parliament on interfaith dialogue with representatives of all religious and belief communities in the country concerned. • Contribute to international efforts to develop guidelines for peaceful coexistence. We commend the IPU for its substantive contribution to interfaith dialogue for peaceful societies and encourage it to further integrate this dimension into its regular programme of work. We thank the Parliament of Italy for its leadership and hospitality in hosting this historic gathering. We express our appreciation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Vatican, Religions for Peace, and all partners for sustaining this important global dialogue. We leave Rome inspired by the spirit of hope and solidarity that has defined this Conference. We call on all participants to carry that spirit into their parliaments, their communities and the broader world.
