Interfaith Dialogue at the Vatican: Fostering Religious Friendship through Love and Action

Your Holiness, esteemed representatives of religious traditions, may peace and auspiciousness be with you all. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Holy See for this invitation, which allows me to share my experience in promoting interfaith dialogue. This invitation itself stands as a testament to the harmony and goodwill among religions.

Having been born during a time of war, I deeply understand that war brings nothing but the suffering of broken families and devastated lives. For this reason, the pursuit and safeguarding of peace have become my lifelong mission and calling. When I once visited war-torn Bosnia, a local journalist skeptically asked me, “Can peace truly be attained in this world?” I firmly replied, “As long as the mind is at peace, the world is at peace.”

I believe that only through attentive listening, mutual understanding, and the cultivation of friendship among religions can conflict be transformed. This conviction embodies the founding spirit of the Museum of World Religions (MWR)—to foster dialogue and cooperation among faiths through the principles of respect, tolerance, and love, allowing each tradition to become a source of nourishment for peace.

The events of September 11 highlighted the grave dangers posed by religious conflict. In response, I initiated the Islamic-Buddhist Interfaith Dialogue series around the world, using dialogue and exchange to reveal the truth, virtues, and sublimity within all religions. I firmly believe that the true mission of religion is to dissolve disagreement through love and compassionate action, and to safeguard both life and our planet.

Today, our Earth is confronted with unprecedented crises. In the face of ecological catastrophe, the religious community must join hands in cooperation. As His Holiness Pope Francis emphasized after the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow (COP26) , interreligious and interdisciplinary dialogue—bridging politics, economics, technology, and ecology—is essential, with spirituality serving as the unifying force among all. In this spirit, I advocate the principle that “spirituality is ecology, and ecology is spirituality.” From a spiritual perspective, we recognize the profound interconnectedness between humanity and nature, awakening a sense of respect and compassion for all life, and together build a world of shared fulfillment.

Ecological harmony and religious peace are inseparable as oneness. Only by letting go of self-centeredness and recognizing that we are members of an entity of interdependence can we transform crises into renewal and move toward a sustainable future. “Love Earth, love peace”—this has been my lifelong mission. Currently, in Myanmar, I am preparing to establish the University for Life and Peace, an institution dedicated to nurturing the seeds of spirituality through education. By fostering interreligious and interdisciplinary connections, we can together protect the environment, resolve conflicts, and create peace. Only through ecological sustainability can humanity itself endure.

Finally, I offer my sincere greetings to His Holiness and to all religious leaders present. May all beings be endowed with love and wisdom through the power of spirituality. May our ecology endure, humankind live in peace, and the Earth remain in peace.