Sinkford Joins Religious Leaders to Advance World Peace

Kyoto Declaration on Confronting Violence and Advancing Shared Security

Bill Sinkford with Fatumata Shariff, recipient of the Greeley Memorial Prize for Peace. Photo: Helio Fred Garcia/Religions for Peace.

Bill Sinkford addressing delegates from South Korea, Japan, Russia, China, and the US. Photo: Helio Fred Garcia/Religions for Peace. (Click on photo for larger image)

Bill Sinkford with the delegates from South Korea, Japan, Russia, China, and the United States. Photo: Helio Fred Garcia/Religions for Peace. (Click on photo for larger image)

On August 26, 2006, the 8th World Assembly of Religions for Peace  convened a four-day gathering in Kyoto, Japan. UUA President William Sinkford is one of 513 religious leaders credentialed as a delegate to the meeting. The World Assembly, held every five years, addresses issues of violence that impact the entire world community. Multi-religious advocacy will take place on the highest levels as spiritual leaders from conflict zones (Iraq, Israel/Palestine and Sudan) come together in Inter-Religious Councils, special working groups that share best practices in order to become better equipped for peace-making on the ground. Previous World Assemblies  have produced dramatic results, including mediating violent conflicts in the Balkans, Africa, the Middle East and Asia; activating the response of religious communities to the HIV/AIDS pandemic; and advancing the crucial work of women of faith around the globe.

On Saturday, Sinkford addressed several hundred international media at a press conference announcing the inaugural award of the Dana McLean Greeley Memorial Prize for Peace, which was presented to the Women's Desk of the Inter-Religious Council of Liberia. Fatumata Shariff, accepting the prize on behalf of the organization, said, "It is such a privilege for African women to win this award. Liberian women passed through such a difficult time during the crisis in our country. The prize is motivation for us to work even harder to make peace a reality in Liberia." She noted that the Women's Desk will use the award stipend to address issues of violence against women, including rape and genital mutilation.

The Rev. Dana McLean Greeley was the first president of the UUA and one of the founders of Religions for Peace. The prize in his name has been funded by The Dana McLean Greeley Foundation for Peace and Justice to honor Greeley's dream for world peace, a dream he shared with RFP co-founder the Rev. Nikkyo Niwano , the founder of the Buddhist organiganization Rissho Kosei-kai . Ned Perry, Chair of The Greeley Foundation said, "We are particularly pleased to have the inaugural award given at the time the World Assembly is honoring Rev. Nikkyo Niwano due to the respect and close working relationship established between the two leaders as they worked together towards a more peaceful world."

Assembly Delegates Address Concerns Over North Korea
The conference delegates sprang into action when the North Korean delegation, the Korean Council of Religionists, was denied an entry visa by the Japanese government. In protest, the Assembly convened a meeting to discuss security issues in the Korean Peninsula. The attendees coordinated 6-party talks to parallel the 6-party talks occurring in the political sphere. Present at the talks were delegations from South Korea, Japan, China, Russia, and the US. Bill Sinkford represented the US delegation, and he also spoke at the subsequent press conference, which featured remarks from the South Korean delegation.

The World Assembly concluded on August 29th.

Kyoto Declaration on Confronting Violence and Advancing Shared Security

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