From left, Seyed Salih Al-Haidari, Bishop Emeritus Gunnar Stålsett, and Dr. Sheikh Ahmed Al-Samaraie.On 5–6 December 2006 Religions for Peace convened ten senior Iraqi Sunni, Shiite, and Christian leaders in Oslo, Norway, in support of their commitment to address escalating sectarian violence. “We have met to attain national reconciliation and consensus in Iraq, to establish the principles of brotherhood and justice, and to attain security and stability for all Iraqis,” the participants said in their Oslo Statement.

The meeting was convened by the Religions for Peace affiliate, the European Council of Religious Leaders (ECRL), in partnership with the World Council of Religions for Peace. The Iraqi leaders were deeply pleased to be hosted by the ECRL, ably moderated by Bishop Gunnar Stålsett. The usefulness of building multi-religious partnerships across global, regional and national levels was evident in our gathering. The Norwegian government provided financial and other forms of helpful support.     

While the Oslo dialogue was taking place, a U.S. bipartisan commission, the Iraq Study Group, deplored the “grave and deteriorating” situation in Iraq and called for new diplomatic offensives with greater international and regional support. But as violence continues to destroy any semblance of normality in daily Iraqi life, inter-religious cooperation is increasingly necessary—and urgent. Military action and diplomatic efforts are not the only means to end this conflict. Religious leaders and communities must also play a role in stopping the violence and building peace. 

In their Oslo Statement, the Iraqi religious leaders said they stood “firmly against every person or group who tries to spread discord and extremism, be it religious, sectarian, or other.” They also firmly rejected “labeling people ‘infidels’ and using this label as a pretext for killing or assaulting them by any means or attacking their holy places, committing ourselves to stand together to face these criminal acts.”

The Iraqi participants also identified the concrete duties that religious leaders must undertake to advance the peace process. Among these duties were “asking the international community and the UN Security Council to help preserve the unity, independence, and sovereignty of Iraq” and “asking the Iraqi government to build a balanced Iraqi army and (that) the international community support the Iraqi government to achieve the complete sovereignty of the country and the protection of its citizens.”

Religions for Peace first convened Iraqi religious leaders in Amman, Jordan, in May 2003, only one month after the fall of Baghdad. At that meeting, the Iraqi religious leaders called for the formation of an Iraqi- Religions for Peace.  This is the ninth time Iraqi religious leaders have met, hosted by Religions for Peace. This year they also gathered in London in March and at the Religions for Peace Eighth World Assembly in Kyoto, Japan in August. In partnership with Religions for Peace, the Iraqi religious leaders have also engaged in cooperative humanitarian assistance.    

Our brave Iraqi religious colleagues—despite the enormous and mounting pressures of sectarian violence—have found the courage and commitment to work together. And we shall work with them.    Over shared meals at a common table in Oslo, we exchanged simple greetings of the peace for which all ordinary Iraqis hunger.   

With good wishes,  
Dr. William F. Vendley