IRF Roundtable Delegation from Pakistan Represents Country with Pride at 2024 Summit Washington, DC - The IRF Roundtable delegation from Pakistan made a lasting impression at the 2024 International Religious Freedom (IRF) summit held in Washington, DC. The delegation, led by prominent religious leaders and government officials, represented Pakistan with pride and showcased the country’s commitment to promoting religious freedom and tolerance.

An International Summit on Religious Freedom was organized by several governments and non- Government organizations in Washington, DC, USA from 28-30 June, 2022. International Religious Freedom (IRF) is annual held conference that brings together groups

Fr. James Channan OP officially invited by the Government of Guatemala to and he awarded with Peace Award by the Government of Guatemala. Fr. James Channan OP International personality and he in the World he known by his work of Peace and Interfaith harmony among the religions. He is a model role for peace promoters and peace activists in the world. Every year he invited by many national and international forums, organizations, universities, and Government of different countries.

MUMBAI – Pledging respect for religious freedom, the president of the world’s second-largest Muslim nation has asserted that it is the “duty” of Islamic societies to safeguard the “honor, dignity, life and property” of followers of other religions.

The Director Peace Center, Lahore Fr James Channan OP and Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, Grand Imam Badshahi Mosque Lahore participated as delegates from Pakistan. Conference began on Tuesday 24th of May at the Sheraton Doha Hotel with more than 300 attendees from 87 countries. Religious scholars from the three monotheistic religions; Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The participants included; civil servants, academics, heads of institutions, students, charitable institutions, civil society organisations, and representatives from the countries most affected by hate speech are attending in the conference. Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, inaugurated the exhibition accompanying the 14th Doha Conference on Interfaith Dialogue with the topic ‘Religions and Hate Speech, Scriptures and Practice.’ The event was organized by Doha International Centre for Interfaith Dialogue (DICID).

REPORT: The PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics marked a turning point for the peace building process between the two Koreas. To commemorate the one year anniversary of PyeongChang 2018 and extend the Winter Olympics' legacy of peace and reconciliation, a global peace forum has kicked off in Pyeongchang.

Lahore, December 9, 2018, James Channan (right) was talking with Maulana Abdul Qadir Azad, Imam of the second largest mosque in the country.

“I offer you a cordial welcome, and through you I send my greetings to all the Christians ofPakistan, especially those experiencing great hardships.” These are the words of His Holiness Pope Francis which he said while addressing a distinguished delegation of Christian religious leaders and laity from Pakistan and Italy in the private audience in the Vatican on 30th of November, 2018. This meeting was organized by the Association Missione Shahbaz Bhatti under the able leadership of Dr Paul Bhatti – the brother of Shahbaz Bhatti.

More than 10,000 visitors, 120 Project Leaders, 65 Heads of State and Government, Guests, International Media as well as 10 international organizations leaders convened for three days at La Grande Halle de La Villette for the first edition of the Paris Peace Forum to exchange and discuss concrete global governance solutions. Mr. Faisal Ilyas Executive Secretary Peace Center Lahore selected and invited as a Project Leader for "Peace Education for Inter and Intra faith Youth in Pakistan".

On November 15 and 16 the first world meeting dedicated to the theme was held. Over 1000 religious and political personalities of different faiths present. For the Prime Minister, the goal is to transform the country into the capital "of shared life". Countering fundamentalism starting from schools and universities. A "model" but not without some shadows.

Naypyitaw, Burma, Nov 28, 2017 / 04:13 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In a major speech in Burma, Pope Francis told the nation's leaders to leave conflict behind and work for peace by promoting justice and respect for the rights of all citizens, regardless of religion or ethnicity.

In an impromptu meeting on Tuesday morning, Pope Francis urged religious leaders in Burma to work toward peace, each according to the gifts and traditions of their faith. “Each one of you has their values, their wealth, and also their shortcomings. And each confession has its richness, its tradition, its wealth to give. And this can only be if we live in peace,” the Pope said Nov. 28.

United Religions Initiative-Africa presented its 2017 Africa Interfaith Harmony Award to Fr. James Channan OP (Dominican Priest in Lahore) and Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad (Grad Imam of the Badshahi Mosque Lahore) who are active members of URI and interfaith activists from Pakistan.

The President�s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge met with a grand success as it brought together around 600 Presidents and Directors of various universities, colleges, interfaith dialogue centers and some students from all over America. There were 60 international scholars from 31 countries who were invited for international conference and share their experiences of peace building, interfaith dialogue and their vision how to spread vision of much needed dialogue among religions.

Fr James Channan, a Pakistani Dominican has been invited to the President of United States' Interfaith and Community Service Challenge in Washington, DC which will take place from September 20 to 23, 2016. For this International Higher Education Leadership Forum, 60 scholars are invited from 31 countries and 6 continents to share their experiences and expertise in the field of interreligious dialogue and peace building and learn from each other. Each of the delegates is selected because of his/her work in advancing interfaith cooperation and volunteerism in colleges, universities and places of religious leadership formation.

It is with great joy I share with you the "Ambassadors of Peace" conference and workshop organized in Doha, Qatar from 13-16 June, 2015. This conference was organized by the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue. Invitations were sent by Pro. Ibraham Saleh Al Naimi, Chairman DICID.

I would like to share with you that there were two very significant international events in Japan during this month. One was in Tokyo and the other at Fuji Sanctuary at the base of the Fuji Mountain, Hitoana, Fujinomiya City.

I am very grateful to all of you who have sent in their best wishes at the launching ceremony of my book "Path of Love; A Call for Interfaith Harmony" and on receiving my"Global Ambassador of Peace Award" at the United Nations on 16th of July in a very befitting manner. The Rev. Deborah Moldow was also there and delivered a fantastic speech at this occasion. She was superb indeed!

Dominican Father James Channan, director of the Dominican Peace Center in Lahore, Pakistan, brings members of different faiths together for dialogue. Even before his ordination in 1980, he saw the need to focus on interfaith dialogue in a nation where Christians number only two percent of the population, he said during a visit to Louisville last week.

Prayers go out to our brothers and sisters in Pakistan after Sunday�s tragic church bombings. The Lahore bombings took place only two kilometers from URI's Pakistan office, greatly affecting the Lahore Cooperation Circles as well as all of the URI family and friends around the world.

Good evening, dear friends of the United Religions Initiative, and welcome to this year�s Circles of Light. It is such a joy when the URI community gathers, so often in circles like tonight, working together for peace among the peoples of the planet.

It was so inspiring and encouraging at the same time to hear the explanation of our Pope Francis, said: "Oh, how I want a poor church for the poor" This statement really deeply touched my heart and soul. When I look around me and the situation of Christians in Pakistan reflective, then this statement is very true and our Pope also significant. It reveals the reality of our situation in Pakistan. The message of Pope Francis Christ can be experienced in our midst. It calls on us to make their way to the poor.

For over 30 years, the Pakistani Dominican, Fr James Channan has actively worked for inter-religious dialogue and peace between Christians and Muslims. He has been acknowledged and honoured with various awards both in Pakistan and abroad because of his experiences, his commitment and his perseverance in seeking for dialogue and peace despite frequent disappointments and threats to his life. His entire life as a Dominican has been devoted to this single pastoral activity.

First of all I congratulate Bill Purcell and Center for Social Concerns of the Notre Dame University for organizing Catholic Social Tradition Conference entitled; Peace Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow: Celebrating 50 Years since Pacem in Terris, encyclical of Pope John XXIII. This is indeed very significant international conference. I feel immense peace and joy to participate!

�We have 9/11 every day in Pakistan,� said Fr. James Channan, Regional Coordinator for the United Religions Initiative (URI) in Pakistan, speaking on �Interfaith in Pakistan� at the Chapel at Croton Falls on Sunday, July 10, 2011. He explained that more than 35,000 people in his country have been killed by terrorists, making ordinary life very unsafe. There are now guards outside of mosques and churches. And it was a particular shock when Shahbaz Bhatti, a Christian who had been appointed Federal Minister for Minorities, was assassinated in March 2011 for his stance on the blasphemy laws often used as an excuse for persecution. Fr. Channan believes that ignorance is the root cause of terrorism and thus education is the real key to a brighter future.

The odds that a Catholic priest can help bring peace and make interfaith dialogue and religious tolerance flourish in troubled Pakistan would seem long. Some 35,000 people have been killed in the country since Sept. 11, 2001. In a population of 180 million, 96 percent are Muslim, 2 percent are Hindu and Christians are but 1.8 percent. Extremists � perhaps 10 percent of Pakistanis, while 90 percent are peaceful people � grab the headlines in the seemingly endless wave of religious violence.

On Tuesday evening I had the pleasure of introducing Father James Channan, URI�s Regional Coordinator for Pakistan, at a reception in his honor. After covering a few background facts�his degrees in Islamic Studies and Arabic Language and Counseling and his role as a founder of URI Pakistan I tried to give the audience some context for his forthcoming address.

Fr James Channan OP, Director of Peace Center, Regional Coordinator United Religions Initiative Pakistan and former Prior Vice Provincial of the Dominican Ibn-e-Mariam Vice Province had a special audience with his Holiness Pope Benedict XVI in Rome, on 13th of April, 2011 in Rome. During this meeting he thanked the Pope for his prayers and solidarity with the Christians of Pakistan and sought special prayers and blessings for the promotion of peace, harmony activities and Christian Muslim dialogue in Pakistan. He said that we as Christians will keep on keep on playing our full role for the progress and prosperity of our country as we are �salt of the earth and light of the world� in Pakistan.

URI Regional Coordinator for Pakistan Father James Channan is in Helsinki, Finland this week to participate in the Finnish Social Forum and give a lecture on Christian-Muslim dialogue at the University of Helsinki. The 12-day trip, which includes a visit to Sweden, was organized by former URI trustee Heidi Rautionmaa, the Forum of Religions and Convictions in Helsinki Cooperation Circle and Kaupunki yhteis�n� ry (Living together in Cities). Father James, a Dominican priest and long-time URI leader has been a tireless advocate for and leader of interfaith work in Pakistan.