The Rev Dr Ishmael Noko, General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation LWF, on September 25 launched an Inter-Faith Action for Peace in Africa under the theme, Embracing the Gift of Peace.

Noko announced the inauguration of the process at a press conference in Johannesburg, South Africa. The LWF and National Religious Leaders' Forum of South Africa NRLFSA, will host a ground-breaking Inter-Faith Peace Summit at the Kopanong Conference Center, Benoni, South Africa, October 14-19. The Summit will be opened by South African President Thabo Mbeki.

Addressing journalists, Noko said the African continent was "enveloped in a cycle of violence beyond description". This violence is not imported from outside Africa but is "made in Africa," he said.

According to Noko the aim of the Summit would be to get a solid commitment to inter-faith dialogue and co-operation for promoting peace in Africa.

"But it will be more than just a commitment on paper. We want to say less and do more and find our own solutions to the problems of Africa," he said.

Noko sees potential for complimentary efforts by religious and political leaders. "The (2001) establishment of the African Union (replacing the former Organization of African Unity) has created a new environment for the promotion of peace...and the New Partnership for Africa's Development NEPAD initiative has produced a new sense of commitment to development in Africa".

The Partnership is a commitment by African leaders to eliminate poverty and place the African continent on a path of lasting growth and development. It is founded on African States practicing good governance, democracy and human rights, while working to prevent and resolve situations of conflict and instability on the continent.

Calling on African religious leaders to play their part in addressing emerging and recurrent conflict on the continent, Noko stressed that "the deepest and truest sources of our faith traditions and cultural heritage provide us with the means to establish a culture of peace in Africa".

The Rev Ray McCauley, President of the International Federation of Christian Churches and NRLFSA executive member, agreed that the Inter-Faith Peace Summit initiative could play a role in strengthening the NEPAD plan.

"Africa needs to be at peace for NEPAD to have far-reaching success.

Religious leaders of the continent can offer much in this area as well as strengthen the moral fiber of our countries," McCauley said.

"We must not forget the role that religious leaders played in the build up to the elections and peaceful transformation in South Africa in 1994," he noted. He said he was convinced that "the Benoni conference could be a major milestone in the march towards a true African Renaissance".

NRLFSA member Iman Ebrahim Bham, said the examples of tolerance and peace making in South Africa's recent past were worthy of case studies and consideration by other countries. He said one would have to look deeper to find what were the real reasons for religious intolerance, which sometimes came about because of perceived economic imbalances.

Over 100 delegates, representing all major religions, including traditional African religions and inter-faith groups across Africa, will be attending the Inter-Faith Peace Summit.

Key topics of the conference will include: the role of inter-faith dialogue in promoting a culture of peace in Africa; freedom of religion and conflict prevention; promotion and protection of human rights; relations between religion and the State; and African traditional methods of conflict resolution and reconciliation.

In addition the conference will hear first-hand accounts from people caught up in wars in Africa, including a former child soldier and a landmine survivor.