International Conference on World Religions
organized by Minhaj University in Lahore
Fr. James Channan OP was conferred “Lifetime Achievement Award”

An international conference on the theme of “Promoting Interfaith Dialogue for Global Peace”, was held on 26th-27th October 2024 at Minhaj University Lahore.  This conference welcomed over 500 participants including prominent scholars, religious leaders, academics and policymakers from around the world, and served as a platform to explore the relationship between religion and politics, emphasizing themes of harmony, tolerance and unity. The conference included Keynote speeches and Panel discussions by national and international scholars addressing the misuse of religious texts, challenges of extremism, and necessity of promoting accurate interpretations of sacred scriptures to build peaceful coexistence among diverse communities. Furthermore, Prof. Dr. Hussain Mohi-ud-Din Qadri, Deputy Chairman, Board of Governors MUL, and Dr. Hassan Mohi-ud-Din Qadri, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Minhaj-ul-Quran International emphasized the collective responsibility of religious scholars, academics and policy makers in fostering understanding and countering narratives that lead to conflict. 

The theme of the conference is "Politics and Violence in the Name of Religion." Scholars and professors from renowned universities in the UK, USA, Australia, Austria, Singapore, India, and Norway presented research papers at the conference.

The event attended by university faculty members, professors, religious leaders from various faiths, scholars from different schools of thought, and a large number of students.

Registrar of Minhaj University Lahore, Khurram Shehzad, said that the objective of the conference is to keep students informed about academic and research topics. He emphasized that intellectual exchange between international scholars is crucial for building an educated Pakistan and nurturing an enlightened younger generation.

During this international conference, Fr James Channan OP, Director of Peace Center was conferred Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his outstanding services in the field of religious freedom, equal citizenship, interfaith harmony and peace at national and international levels. 

Reported by:
Asher Nazir