Sixty Years of Nostra Aetate: Interreligious Dialogue as a Path to Justice and Peace
Walking in the legacy of Nostra Aetate, on 27 October 1986, Pope John Paul II convened representatives of the world’s religions in Assisi – the hometown of Saint Francis, a champion of interfaith dialogue – to pray for peace under threat from the Cold War tensions. The encounter became a lasting symbol of dialogue and common commitment to peace among believers of different faiths. In his address, Pope John Paul II highlighted:
The coming together of so many religious leaders to pray is in itself an invitation today to the world to become aware that there exists another dimension of peace and another way of promoting it which is not a result of negotiations, political compromises or economic bargainings. It is the result of prayer, which, in the diversity of religions, expresses a relationship with a supreme power that surpasses our human capacities alone.
Over the decades, this commitment has found new expressions and interfaith initiatives worldwide. The 2019 Document on Human Fraternity, signed by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, in Abu Dhabi, represents the culmination of this path. It recalls that:
In the name of God, who has created all human beings equal in rights, duties and dignity, and who has called them to live together as brothers and sisters, to fill the earth and make known the values of goodness, love and peace.
At its core, Nostra Aetate frames interreligious dialogue not as an optional exercise but as an indispensable tool for promoting social justice, peace, and the overcoming of divisions. This precisely aligns with KAICIID’s mandate, given to it upon its founding in 2012 as an interfaith initiative of Pope Benedict XVI and King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia, in his role as Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The Centre was established to foster interreligious and intercultural dialogue and to counter the misuse of religion to justify violence or oppression. This is why KAICIID will actively participate in the conference “Towards the Future: Re-Thinking Nostra Aetate Today,” organised by the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, 27–29 October 2025.
Looking ahead, Nostra Aetate continues to inspire concrete dialogue efforts. Next year will mark the 10th anniversary of the KAICIID-supported Muslim-Jewish Leadership Council (MJLC), providing an important opportunity to strengthen Muslim-Jewish dialogue in Europe – a continent where antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred remain pressing concerns and an increasing threat to social cohesion and peaceful coexistence.
The vision of Nostra Aetate – peace through interfaith dialogue – remains vital today, calling us to renew our commitment to trust-building and collaboration between Muslim and Jewish communities. At a time of growing global tensions deeply affect the people of both faiths across Europe, sustained dialogue and mutual understanding are more essential than ever. Building on a decade of valuable experience in Europe – where the MJLC has served as a bridge against growing antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred – KAICIID seeks to extend this dialogue further, fostering a renewed vision of coexistence rooted in dignity and fraternity.
In the words of Pope Francis, “Dialogue is the oxygen of peace.”
Dialogue can overcome war. Dialogue can bring people of different ethnic backgrounds and of different beliefs to coexist. Dialogue is the way of peace. For dialogue fosters understanding, harmony, concord and peace.
Sixty years on, Nostra Aetate remains not a relic of the past but a living call – to bridge divides, nurture empathy, and work together for a world where faith becomes a force for justice, compassion, and shared humanity.
