Addis Ababa, August 4, 2025 (FMC) — The Inter-Religious Council of Ethiopia (IRCE) has called on religious leaders to play a more active role in advancing peace, unity, and solidarity—values it described as essential to Ethiopia’s long-term stability and development.
The call was made during the opening of the 4th National Peace Conference of Ethiopian Religious Institutions, which officially began today in Harar city under the theme “Religions for Peace, Unity, and Solidarity.”
Jointly organized by the IRCE and the Harari Regional Council of Religious Institutions, the conference brought together religious leaders, regional officials, and faith-based actors from across the country to reflect on the role of religious institutions in fostering national harmony.
In his opening address, Liqe Tiguhan Qesis Tagay Tadelle, Secretary General of the IRCE, reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to conflict resolution and promoting people-to-people dialogue.
He stressed the importance of sustained religious engagement in building a peaceful and cohesive Ethiopia.
“The peace conference must grow stronger,” he said. “It was established to help secure lasting peace and ensure we pass on a united and stable country to the next generation. Our forefathers left us a legacy of peace and solidarity—we must preserve and expand it.”
Qesis Tagay emphasized that addressing ongoing conflicts and deepening national reconciliation remain the Council’s top priorities.
Harari Regional State Deputy Chief Administrator, Roza Umer, also addressed the gathering, urging faith leaders to expand peace education and enhance the role of religious institutions in local-level reconciliation efforts.
Sheikh Abdusalam Jibril, Chairman of the Harari Regional Inter-Religious Council, highlighted that religious teachings remain a powerful force in promoting forgiveness, social cohesion, and national healing.
The conference is expected to outline renewed strategies for religious institutions to collaborate in conflict prevention and contribute to Ethiopia’s peace and development agenda.