As Kenya continues to navigate political and social challenges, religious leaders have been urged to step forward to reinforce their role as champions of peace. Speaking in an interview with the KBC Channel 1 news team, peace advocates from across the globe issued a strong call for unity, urging religious leaders to play a greater role in promoting harmony and peace. Speakers called upon the public to resist hate speech, tribal divisions, and political incitement, stressing that religion should be a pillar of building a foundation for peaceful coexistence and mutual support, not a source of division.

This local appeal for peace coincides with a significant continental milestone: the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit Africa, held on June 17, 2025, at Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi. Co-convened by the Global Peace Foundation, Pepperdine University, and the Religious Freedom Institute, the Summit marked the first of its kind on the African continent. It brought together more than 200 participants, including chief justices, senior religious leaders, civil society actors, diplomats, and survivors of religious persecution.

Religious institutions were encouraged to serve as safe spaces for dialogue and moral guidance, especially during election periods and times of unrest.

These sentiments were echoed and elevated at the IRF Summit Africa, where leaders reaffirmed Ubuntu, I am because we are,” as a unifying African philosophy that can bridge differences and promote collective peace.

Dr. Paul Murray, International Vice President for Religious Freedom Initiatives at the Global Peace Foundation, best summarized the spirit of the Summit, terming it a continental call to action that begins in communities, houses of worship, courtrooms, and schools, where faith leaders and citizens alike can nurture values of peace, coexistence, and justice.

Watch the Video: Viongozi wa kidini wahimiza kuhubiri amani – KBC Online

Read the Full Report on the IRF Summit Africa 2025 – Global Peace Foundation