Peace messages from around the world

Amid growing tension, representatives from various religions and beliefs around the world gathered this week in the German town of Lindau, on the shores of Lake Constance, for The Religions for Peace 10th World Assembly. By Ayu Purwaningsih

Kiran Kaur, Sikh, UK: "Forgiveness leads to reconciliation. Reconciliation leads to peace"
Raoni Metuktire, Ancestrais of the Kayapo, Amazonas, Brazil: "To avoid conflict, people should be friends with each other. Humans shouldn't be enemies. God created the mountain for everyone. God thinks the best of His children, as we should also think the best of each other"
Paskarakurukkal, Hindu, Germany: "Peace is central to the entire world. Yet peace is not something you can buy. Peace comes from within. If everyone is committed to peace, it will gradually spread throughout the whole world"
Alhaj Ishaq Kunle, Muslim, Nigeria: "I appeal to religious people in the world to avoid hate speech, which so often snowballs into crisis and can even lead to war. Instead, they should preach the gospel of peace and peaceful religious co-existence at all times"
Antonysamy Thomai, Catholic Christian, India: "Every human being longs for peace, which brings with it security and lends meaning to life. Thatʹs how we build a peaceful world"
Grand-Father Dominique Rankin, Algonquin Native American, Canada: "Peace is something that you have to find within yourself first. Recognise who you are, make peace with your inner self first and then you can help other people to build peace. We call it finding love"
Haile Fudu, Bahai, South Africa: "Peace is not only possible, but inevitable. This is the next stage in the evolution of this planet. The earth is but one country and we are its citizens. It is up to us to determine how long it will take to achieve peace. By collective efforts and a commitment to spiritual values, we can expedite this critical process"
Reverend Jaques Boston, Anglican Christian, Guinea-Conakry: "No peace, no development. No development, no humanity"
Imam Essan Secundar, Muslim, Belgium: "Peace means loving, respecting and accepting our differences, then putting these differences aside to highlight what we have in common"
Kishor Thakrar, Hindu, Tanzania: "We need to understand each other, remaining together in peace for the progress of societies in general"
Mohamad Saiful, Muslim, Singapore: "Peace should not be a luxury, but a reality for all people, now and in the future"
Rabbi Marcelo Bater, Jew, Argentina: "Co-operation and dialogue among people is the only way to achieve peace"
Ayatollah Ahmad Moballeghi, Shia Muslim, Iran: "Allah commends peace to us in the Koran"
Kosho Niwano, Buddha, Japan: "Our world is rich because of diversity. We should share our richness through diversity. That is how we build peace in the world"