Bolivian Interfaith Dialogue Commemorates the International Day of Peace 

On Friday, September 20, 2024, the Interfaith Gathering for Peace was held to celebrate the International Day of Peace at a meeting center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in La Paz, Bolivia. 

September 21, 2001, was declared the International Day of Peace by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly. The event featured the representatives from various religious traditions, including Zen Buddhism, the Catholic Church, the Islamic community and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, among others. 

Religious leaders shared brief speeches about peace and mutual understanding. Area Seventy Elder Carlos Velasco extended a welcome on behalf of the Church of Jesus Christ and spoke about peace from the perspective of the Christian tradition. 

The Bolivian Interfaith Dialogue emphasizes that peace is a central value in all religions, and that gatherings such as this are essential for overcoming differences and fostering mutual respect. 

The event concluded with the reading of an Interfaith Declaration for the International Day of Peace, delivered by Hugo De La Fuente on behalf of the Dialogue. The declaration highlighted the importance of interfaith dialogue as a pillar for building a cohesive and peaceful society. 

Officials from the embassies of France, the United States, Cuba and others, as well as government officials and national representatives, demonstrated that collaboration between different faiths can be a powerful vehicle for promoting peace in times of global hardship. 

About the Bolivian Interfaith Dialogue 

On September 21, 2023, the Catholic, Muslim and Jewish religions formed the Bolivian Interfaith Dialogue by convening at the Metropolitan Basilica Cathedral of Our Lady of La Paz to celebrate the International Day of Peace.  

The event was attended by people of various faiths, including institutions representing ancestral spiritual beliefs, national authorities, autonomous regional and municipal governments and embassies such as those of the United States, the European Union, Russia, Argentina and others. 

The meeting in 2023 was an opportunity for religious leaders to express the importance of peace and to condemn all forms of violence. 

Since then, religions, churches and spiritual traditions with a significant presence in Bolivia, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, have joined the Bolivian Interfaith Dialogue. 

Today, the Dialogue continues to carry out various activities with the purpose of promoting peace, dialogue and mutual respect amongst the different religious denominations.