The Asian Conference of Religions for Peace (ACRP), or the Religions for Peace Asia, nominated new leaders and announced its next 5 five-year action plan on Oct 22, the last day of its 9th General Assembly. 

The assembly, with a theme of "Asian Religious Communities in Action: Moving towards an Inclusive, Healthy, Prosperous, Peaceful Asia", opened virtually on Oct 19. 

Deng Zongliang, executive vice-president of the China Committee on Religion and Peace (CCRP), was elected the ACRP deputy moderator. He is the first Chinese to take an essential leading position in an international multi-religious peace organization. 

Inter-cultural and inter-religious exchanges should promote the spirit of equality, respect, tolerance and mutual appreciation, said Deng. 

The multi-cultural and -religious communication needs to enhance friendship and expand consensus among peoples from different nations, make new achievements towards long-lasting peace and common development in the Asia-Pacific region and build a community with a shared future for mankind, he added. 

The ACRP action plan for the next five years consists of six newly identified objectives: promoting flagship projects, building effective partnership, advancing gender equality, promoting inter-religious education, engaging in IRC development and advancing fundraising, said Masamichi Kamiya, senior adviser to the secretary general of the ACRP, at the assembly’s closing ceremony. 

"These objectives echo the six strategic goals in the Religion for Peace Strategic Plan," said Kamiya, adding that "The ACRP action plan constitutes in the form of the comprehensive diagram, not only the objectives, but also the expected outcomes and activities and entities for implementation so that the ACRP can comprehensively engage in a wide range of activities."

The Religions for Peace, founded in 1970, is an international coalition of the world's great religions joined together to ensure that all people enjoy peace, harmony, and prosperity. 

2020 was the 50th anniversary of the First World Assembly of Religions for Peace International (known as World Conference on Religions and Peace/WCRP then), which  was held in Kyoto, Japan in 1970. The 9th General Assembly of the ACRP should have been held in October of that commemorative year, but was postponed due to COVID-19.