On behalf of Arigatou International and the Global Network of Religions for Children (GNRC), I am pleased to announce that the GNRC Sixth Forum will be convened from November 19 – 21, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The Forum will be hosted by our partners, the Interfaith Alliance for Safer Communities.
The GNRC was inaugurated in 2000 by my father, the late Rev. Takeyasu Miyamoto, out of his strong conviction that it is the moral responsibility of people of all faiths to protect the lives of children and ensure their safe and sound development. He proposed that people of every faith and religion join hands and work together, regardless of differences, to build a better world for children.
Since then, the GNRC has expanded and GNRC forums have grown into major global platforms for addressing children’s issues through interfaith cooperation. We expect about 600 participants, including 100 children, to attend the Sixth Forum in person, and an equal number of virtual attendees. Children have always had a clear voice in GNRC global forums, and as at previous forums, they will take part in a Children’s Forum before the main Forum.
As we look at today’s world, it is heartbreaking that so many children are losing their precious lives in wars and conflicts that they did not start, and so many others suffer in poverty and other difficulties not of their making, enduring great physical, mental, and spiritual harm. The efforts of religious communities, especially interfaith cooperation for the sake of the world’s children, are more urgently needed than ever, especially in the divisive atmosphere the world is facing now.
I pray that the upcoming GNRC Forum will inspire greater cooperation and dedication among religious communities and other key actors in the international community to shape a better future for children. It is my sincere hope that our shared effort to build a better environment for children will become a major step on the path towards a peaceful world for everyone.
Keishi Miyamoto (Rev)
President of Arigatou International
Convenor of the Global Network of Religions for Children
