Forum “Religion and Peace” is one of the largest and most representative events in the world for discussion aimed at consolidating society on the bases of traditional values as well as discussing both peacekeeping and charitable initiatives and developing interfaith ties.

The Forum is organized by the Union “Christian World” supported by the Government of Moscow.

The Forum has met annually since 2013 on the most popular platforms in Moscow — Hall of Church Councils at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, ITAR-TASS, RIA Novosti, Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War.

The Forum aims at strengthening cooperation and integrational processes in the sphere of historical and cultural, spiritual and moral and humanitarian cooperation between the institutes of civil society of Russia and foreign states.

The Forum sees the attendance of:

• Religious leaders of different denominations;
• Representatives of the public authorities of the Russian Federation (State Duma of the Russian Federation, Administration of the President of the Russian Federation, Government of Moscow etc.);
• Representatives of the state bodies of the foreign states;
• Representatives of scientific and educational society;
• Public figures and experts.

Forum in numbers:

• 9 forums were held within the period of 2013-2022;
• 300-1000 participants of the Forum annually;
• More than 30 states over the entire history of the Forum;
• The general scope of an audience was made more than 200 000 over 10 years;
• More than 1500 mass media publications.

Annually the Forum discusses the most up-to-date and acute public and social issues:

2013 — “State and Religion. Models of Coexistence and Collaboration in social space”;

2014 — “States and Religions. Opportunities for peacekeeping cooperation”;

2015 — “Role of the Religion in the Modern World”;

2017 — “Actual Threats and Mechanisms for protecting religious denominations in the Middle East”;

2018 — “Religion and Digital Society”;

2019 — “Religion and Ecology”;

2020 — “Spiritual Bases of the Great Victory”;

2021 — “Interfaith and Intercultural dialogue in the Space of the Modern World”;

2022 — “Social Service on the Way to Peace”.

The main organizer of the Forum is the Union for the Promotion of the Preservation of Traditional Spiritual Values «Christian World»

The purpose of the Union is to protect and preserve traditional spiritual values, as well as to help the ancient churches of the Middle East in protecting the Christian heritage.

The Union sets itself the following tasks:

• Development of international and interreligious dialogue aimed at strengthening peace and harmony;
• Implementation of social and educational programs and projects;
• Support of traditional spiritual and moral values through legal, informational and educational mechanisms;
• Support and development of the Russian language abroad;
• Humanitarian and informational support for Christian communities in the Middle East;
• Organization of youth educational exchanges with Christian communities of the Middle East, as well as with the Greek, Serbian and Bulgarian Orthodox Churches;
• Assistance in the field of preserving the historical heritage of ancient churches.

Forum “Religion and Peace” in 2023.

Taking into consideration the turbulency of both political and economic processes as well as unprecedented sanctions regime against Russia, there is a common require for consolidating efforts to protect national interests and set new unions, associations and platforms for cooperation.

Russia possesses unique historical experience of settling political conflicts and harmonizing both interethnic and interfaith relations, which is confirmed by coexistence of more than 190 nations in its territory having different traditions and cultures. The mobilization and convergence of different states and nations around traditional values will contribute to widening integral processes and setting new unions not on the bases of profit but moral and precepts of the world.

The main theme of the Forum: “Traditional Values as a Basis for Peace”.

The themes of plenary session and special sections will be as follows:

• Interethnic and interfaith interaction: history and modernity;
• Humanitarian and cultural cooperation on the way to strengthening peace;
• Education and enlightenment of the younger generation: issues and solutions;
• Protection of the information environment from destructive ideological impact.

The Forum is supposed to be attended by the participants from Russia, Serbia, Hungary, Greece, France, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, China, Venezuela, Egypt, Central African Republic, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Transnistria, Moldova, Belarus, Brazil, India, South Africa, Pakistan, Armenia, Georgia, Palestine, Sudan, Qatar.