The Sydney Statement is an interfaith charter that details how to engage in interfaith relations with others – in daily life, in acting together for the common good, in sharing knowledge about each other’s religions, and in exchanging spirituality – and to promote interreligious dialogue within one’s own community. Youth PoWR (Parliament of the World’s Religions) generated the content of statement, approved its text, and authorized its publication. Everyone is invited to sign up to its values, principles and commitments on its dedicated website.
The Statement seeks to build bridges between believers of different faiths through a series of shared values and principles. It invites signatories to make twenty-one practical commitments based on these values and principles.
Values
The values are dignity, life, freedom, equality, safety and security, hospitality, gratitude, generosity and service, humility, respect, openness, care for the environment, and solidarity.
Principles
The principles are multiculturalism, citizenship, democracy, secularity, the rule of law, and the compatibility of science and religion.
Sydney Statement Commitments
The commitments are grouped under the headings the dialogue of life, the dialogue of action, the dialogue of knowledge, the dialogue of religious experience, and intra-faith dialogue.
Find out more
Fr Patrick McInerney tells the story behind the development of the Sydney Statement here.