Buddhists and Christians gather in Cambodia to promote global peace

From May 26 to 29, 2025, religious leaders, scholars, and peacebuilders from around the world are gathering in Phnom Penh for the 8th Buddhist-Christian Colloquium, themed “Buddhists and Christians Working Together for Peace through Reconciliation and Resilience,” in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Co-hosted by the Catholic Church in Cambodia and the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue (Vatican), the event builds on a tradition of spiritual partnership rooted in Nostra Aetate (1965), which recognized Buddhism as a path to “perfect liberation.”

Since its inception in 1995 in Taiwan, the colloquium has been held in countries including India, Japan, Italy, and Thailand. The most recent, in 2023 in Bangkok, centered on healing humanity and the Earth through compassion and love.

This year’s colloquium addresses global issues like violence, social fragmentation, and ecological crises, emphasizing how Buddhist and Christian values—compassion, justice, and love—can contribute to building resilient communities and restoring human dignity.

The Catholic Church in Cambodia, since re-establishing ties with the Holy See in 1994, has been instrumental in promoting interfaith cooperation with the majority Buddhist community through joint educational, humanitarian, and peacebuilding efforts.

The gathering is also inspired by icons of peace such as:

• Venerable Maha Ghosananda, known as the “Gandhi of Cambodia” for his peaceful Dhammayietra (Peace Walks).

• Mr. Tun Channareth, a Catholic landmine survivor and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, whose advocacy for disarmament highlights a shared mission for justice.

The colloquium also celebrates the efforts of the Cambodian Interreligious Council (C.I.C.), which unites Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, and others in promoting harmony and collaboration.

As Cambodia emerges as a beacon of healing from its troubled past, the 8th Colloquium sends a clear message: interfaith dialogue is essential in building a more just, peaceful, and compassionate world.

The 8th Buddhist-Christian Colloquium welcomes around 50 international participants and 100 local attendees, bringing together Christian and Buddhist leaders from across Asia and beyond.

Representatives from 16 countries, along with delegates from the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC), are gathering in Phnom Penh to “reflect, dialogue, and collaborate on promoting peace in our time.”

This year's event builds on the momentum of the 7th Colloquium, held in Bangkok, Thailand in November 2023, which emphasized joint action to “heal the wounds of humanity and the planet.”

For more information and updates, visit: https://spi.edu.kh/speaker