Addis ababa: The Inter-Religious Council of Ethiopia (IRCE) has underscored the crucial role of religious leaders in fostering peace, unity, and solidarity, essential components for Ethiopia’s national development.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, the 4th National Peace Conference of Ethiopian Religious Institutions has officially begun in Harar city, under the theme “Religions for Peace, Unity, and Solidarity.” The conference, organized by the Ethiopian Inter-Religious Council in collaboration with the Harari Regional Council of Religious Institutions, gathers key religious and regional leaders to discuss the contribution of faith in promoting national cohesion.
Dignitaries present at the conference include Harari Regional State Deputy Chief Administrator Rosa Umer and Secretary General of the Ethiopian Inter-Religious Council Liqe Tiguhan Qesis Tagay Tadelle, along with guests from various regions and senior officials of the Harari Region.
While opening the meeting, Liqe Tiguhan Qesis Tagay highlighted the Council’s ongoing efforts to resolve conflicts and foster people-to-people relations throughout the country. He stressed the importance of religious institutions in building sustainable peace and called for deeper engagement to address existing gaps. He remarked that the peace conference must continue to grow stronger to ensure lasting peace and hand over a better country to the next generation. He added that addressing ongoing conflicts in parts of the country and achieving lasting peace remain the central goals of the conference.
Harari Regional State Deputy Chief Administrator, Roza Umer, also addressed the gathering, emphasizing the importance of strengthening peace education within religious institutions. She urged the Council to expand its peacebuilding initiatives and increase its impact at the grassroots level.
Similarly, Sheikh Abdusalam Jibril, Chairman of the Harari Regional Inter-Religious Council, highlighted that religious teachings play a key role in promoting reconciliation, forgiveness, and national cohesion.