A Landmark Interfaith Peace Gathering in Atlanta, USA
700 People Seek Practical Solutions Through Faith, Education, and Dialogue
On Saturday, November 15, 2025, at 3:00 PM (local time), a large-scale interfaith event titled “Unity in Diversity: The Path of Nonviolence Through Faith, Culture, and Positive Peace & Religious Peace Academy” was held at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. The event was co-hosted by The King Center and the HWPL Georgia branch.
The Ebenezer Baptist Church—where this event was held—is far more than a religious institution; it is a powerful symbol of the American human rights and civil rights movement. This historic church, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. served as co-pastor alongside his father, is widely recognized as the birthplace of his philosophy of nonviolence and the practical starting point of the civil rights movement. It is widely believed that many of the most influential messages and speeches advocating the dismantling of racial segregation in the United States during the 1960s were conceived and prepared within these walls. Today, together with the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, the church is regarded as a nationally significant historic site that embodies the enduring spirit of equality, justice, and nonviolence in American society.
By hosting the Religious Peace Academy at such a historically significant site, the event took on meaning beyond that of a local gathering, serving as a powerful symbol that connects the legacy of the American Civil Rights Movement with contemporary peace efforts.
A total of 700 people participated in the event, including 113 religious and social leaders, 562 members of the general public, and 25 staff members. It was recorded as a multireligious peace event of a scale rarely seen in the Atlanta area. The event aimed to highlight the shared values of nonviolence and peace across diverse religious traditions, while seeking practical approaches to addressing division and conflict within the local community through faith, education, and dialogue.
Leaders representing six faith traditions—Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, and Sikhism—participated as lecturers in the Peace Academy. Each speaker conveyed messages of peace and coexistence from the perspective of their respective traditions, sharing insights on conflict resolution, the practice of nonviolence, and community solidarity. Participants responded with great enthusiasm, noting that the messages were deeply interconnected and resonated with a unified call for peace.
Following the event, the speakers shared heartfelt reflections on their experience. Representing Buddhism, Dr. Matthew Milligan, a scholar and professor of Buddhist history and thought at the University of Michigan, expressed deep gratitude for the invitation and described the event as “an amazing experience.” Representing Christianity, Rev. Will Gravely, Senior Pastor of Refuge Church Atlanta, shared that the event was “an honor and a source of deep gratitude from beginning to end,” emphasizing the sense of meaning and solidarity he felt throughout the program. Representing Judaism, Rabbi Steven Lebow of Temple Kol Emeth stated that he was deeply moved by the gathering and remarked, “If there is a gathering like this, I will gladly participate again anytime.”
The Religious Peace Academy in Atlanta became a meaningful space where diverse faiths, cultures, and communities came together to embody peace through unity. This collaboration between The King Center and HWPL is expected to further strengthen the peace network across the southeastern United States.
