Lumbini: First International Conference on “Religion and Culture in Conflict and Peace: Reconciliation and Peacebuilding in South Asia” was held on 26-27th March 2019, in the sacred birthplace of Lord Buddha, Lumbini, Nepal.

The conference was jointly organized by Lumbini Development Trust, Government of Nepal, and the University of Winchester’s Centre of Religion, Reconciliation and Peace, UK. Scholars and practitioners from around the world gathered to consider more effective and innovative ways of peacebuilding, and discussed how religion can play a more positive role in building peace in South Asia, and around the world.

Over 150 participants from different nations (United Kingdom, Australia, Netherlands, Indonesia, Slovakia, India, Bangladesh, and Nepal) acknowledged Lumbini as the sacred birthplace of Lord Buddha and its importance in creating the center of Excellency for peace.

The conference participants examined instances of peacebuilding from countries across South Asia including Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri-Lanka Tibet, as well as exploring what can be learned from case studies on different continents, such as Uganda, Slovakia, and Northern Ireland. Topics discussed included interfaith dialogue, the role of religious leaders in peacebuilding, global citizenship, the arts and cultural diplomacy, conflict analysis, religious nationalism, religious ritual, and the concept of positive peace.

The conference participants recognized that whilst religion has often been coopted for oppression and violence, the potential of religion to contribute to building just and sustainable peace is significant. It also realized need of further research into the roles of religion and culture in peacebuilding theory and practice to better understand the conditions required to ensure that religion acts as a positive force for peace in situations of violent and structural conflict.

These observations are highly relevant in Nepal; a country in the process of renewal, emerging from a decade of civil war and the catastrophic earthquake which caused devastation in April 2015, and where religion is integral to all aspects of society and culture.

The conference participants strongly supported the development of a Global Peace Center in Lumbini, which can play an important role in developing peacebuilding theory and practice, and help support the peacebuilding and reconciliation process as an international center for Interfaith and Peace dialogue; in Nepal, across South Asia and Globe. The development of Lumbini as a peace zone makes it a hugely appropriate location for such an important initiative.

Participants also recognized the need to support the development of positive peace around the world, and called on all nations to seek peaceful and constructive way to resolve division and difference. The conference urged the global community to respond the challenges such as climate change, social and economic inequality, physical and structural violence, religious extremism, and endemic corruption more positively. It also identified religious leaders and communities of all traditions and denominations hugely important role peacebuilding.

Realizing the great significance of the birthplace of one of the greatest teachers of humanity and its profound potential to inspire and promote universal brotherhood, compassion, kindness, and empathy for the welfare of all sentient beings and as an international center for Interfaith and Peace dialogue; the conference agreed to develop Lumbini as a global peace center where both religious and secular leaders of the world can unite together to help create a world free from poverty and strife as embodied the original vision of the United Nations and the government of Nepal.

The conference unanimously agreed to:

• To promote interfaith dialogue, and bring global community together, to address rising religious and ethnic violence in South Asia and beyond to work together to find a peaceful means to address and resolve conflict.
• To create an international center for Global Peace Studies in Lumbini.
• To organize, support and contribute in International Peace Conference of such kind in Lumbini and beyond that will take place frequently.