On 17 October 2026, faith representatives gathered at Westminster Cathedral Hall, London, to affirm a shared responsibility for peace. The Jain community was represented by Institute of Jainology Trustees Mehool Sanghrajka, Dilip Shah, Amit Shah, Usha Shah and Kumar Mehta.
For the Institute of Jainology, the gathering offered an opportunity to bring Jain teachings on non-violence, forgiveness and respect for life into a shared reflection on the challenges facing our world. Its theme, “Together in prayer and dialogue for peace”, connected spiritual practice with the responsibility to build more compassionate relationships between individuals and communities.
The event formed part of the UK visit of Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, Prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, accompanied by Monsignor Michael Santiago. The visit brought Catholic leaders into dialogue with Hindu, Jain and Sikh communities, alongside wider interreligious and ecumenical engagement.
The gathering reflected the commitment of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales and its Department for Dialogue and Unity. Archbishop Richard Moth, Archbishop of Westminster and President of the Bishops’ Conference, welcomed participants. Archbishop Bernard Longley, Archbishop of Birmingham and Chair of the Department for Dialogue and Unity, introduced the event and offered its concluding remarks. Bishop Patrick McKinney, Bishop of Nottingham and Lead Catholic Bishop for Interreligious Dialogue, helped frame the visit’s emphasis on mutual respect, reconciliation and human dignity.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop Emeritus of Westminster, addressed the gathering on “Religions as builders of Peace in the Spirit of Assisi”. Cardinal Koovakad also addressed participants, bringing the perspective of the Vatican’s work in developing relationships between religious traditions.
The reference to Assisi carried particular significance. This year marks the fortieth anniversary of the gathering convened by Pope Saint John Paul II in October 1986 for the first World Day of Prayer for Peace, as well as the eight-hundredth anniversary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi. These anniversaries remind us that peacebuilding is a responsibility renewed across generations through patient dialogue, friendship and action.
In his reflection, Mehool Sanghrajka spoke of the divinity within every living being, the equality of all souls and the sacredness of every life. From a Jain perspective, these convictions give the pursuit of peace a scope extending beyond human relationships to embrace all living beings. Differences in appearance, circumstance or capacity do not diminish a soul’s spiritual worth. Recognising that equality asks us to approach life with humility, reverence and care.
This understanding lies at the heart of ahimsa: non-violence in thought, word and action. It asks us to consider how we treat others, how we speak about them and how readily we allow anger or prejudice to shape our judgement. Peace begins in these everyday choices, through the effort to recognise another being’s worth even when understanding is difficult.
Mehool’s address included a Jain prayer of forgiveness, chosen for its direct connection to the pursuit of peace. Seeking forgiveness asks us to accept responsibility for harm caused, knowingly or unknowingly, and to recognise our own part in relationships damaged by anger, prejudice or misunderstanding.
Forgiveness opens the possibility of reconciliation and a renewal of perspective: the willingness to see one another beyond past grievances and approach the future differently. Accepting responsibility, seeking reconciliation and renewing our perspective are necessary precursors to lasting peace. The prayer brought these responsibilities into personal focus, reminding participants that peace depends on the relationships each of us is willing to repair.
Prayers for peace from the different faith traditions were followed by shared silence, during which the Pledge for Peace was signed. Together, these moments gave participants space to reflect on what their commitments would require beyond the event itself.
The 2026 pledge addressed human dignity, freedom of conscience, education for mutual respect, reconciliation and solidarity with people suffering from war, persecution, discrimination and neglect. Its recognition that lasting peace requires justice gave a wider social context to the personal responsibility expressed in the prayer of forgiveness.
The pledge also included care for the environment. This resonates with the Jain understanding that our responsibilities extend to all forms of life, and with aparigraha, or non-possessiveness, which encourages restraint in consumption and attachment. Respect for life asks us to consider the consequences of our choices for other beings and for the world we share.
For the Institute of Jainology, participation carried both a representative and an educational responsibility. Jain teachings offer a distinctive contribution to public reflection on peace: the equality of souls, the discipline of non-violence, the humility to recognise our limitations and the willingness to seek forgiveness. Sharing these teachings also invites us to consider how faithfully we put them into practice.
The wider value of the Westminster gathering will develop through the relationships it strengthens. Trust between faith communities can support joint service, deepen understanding and create channels of communication when tensions arise. The commitments expressed there now call for continued contact and practical care.
Mehool’s reflection placed a demanding idea at the centre of that work: every life is sacred. The prayer of forgiveness gave that conviction a personal expression, reminding us that our responsibility for peace includes the harm we acknowledge, the relationships we seek to repair and the compassion we choose to practise each day.
Jain Prayer on Forgiveness
KHAMEMI SAVVE JIVA
We forgive all living beings,
SAVVE JIVA KHAMANTU ME
We seek pardon from all living beings,
MITTI ME SAVVA BHUTESU
We are friendly towards all living beings,
VERAM MAJJHAM NA KENVI
And we seek enmity with none,
MICHHAMI DUKKADDAM!
Moreover, we ask for forgiveness from all!
2026 Pledge for Peace
Gathered here in the Archdiocese of Westminster, we have reflected together on peace, a gift of God and essential for the common good of the whole human family. Although we belong to different religious traditions, we affirm that building peace begins with recognising the dignity of every human person and loving our neighbour in accordance with the Golden Rule: Do to others as you would have them do to you. United in this conviction, we pledge ourselves anew to the shared task of building a more just, peaceful and fraternal world.
Therefore:
We commit ourselves to proclaiming our firm conviction that violence, terrorism and every form of hatred are incompatible with the authentic spirit of religion. We condemn every attempt to invoke the name of God or religion to justify violence or war, and we will do all in our power to address the conditions that give rise to hatred, extremism and conflict.
We commit ourselves to educating present and future generations in mutual respect, understanding and friendship, so as to foster peaceful coexistence among people of every ethnicity, culture and religious tradition.
We commit ourselves to strengthening the culture of encounter and dialogue, promoting attentive listening, honest conversation and mutual trust, recognising these as the indispensable foundations of authentic peace.
We commit ourselves to defending the equal dignity and fundamental rights of every person, enabling all to live in accordance with their conscience, culture and beliefs, to form and sustain families and communities, so that they can contribute freely to the common good.
We commit ourselves to engaging in dialogue marked by honesty, humility and patience, refusing to allow our differences to become barriers of fear or hostility, and recognising instead that respectful encounter enriches our understanding of one another and strengthens our shared humanity.
We commit ourselves to acknowledging past and present failures, prejudices and injustices, seeking forgiveness where it is needed, extending forgiveness where it is possible, and working together in the pursuit of reconciliation, convinced that there can be no lasting peace without justice.
We commit ourselves to standing alongside the poor, the vulnerable, the displaced and all who suffer from war, persecution, discrimination or neglect. We will seek to amplify the voices of those who are unheard and to work together for societies in which every person can flourish in dignity.
We commit ourselves to hearing and responding to the cry of all who long for peace, justice and hope. Together we will strive to inspire confidence that reconciliation is possible and that peace can prevail over division and fear.
We commit ourselves to encouraging friendship and solidarity among peoples and nations. In an increasingly interconnected world, we recognise that scientific and technological progress must always be guided by wisdom, ethical responsibility and a commitment to the common good, so that it may serve life rather than contribute to destruction.
We commit ourselves to caring for our common home, recognising that environmental degradation, the misuse of natural resources and the effects of climate change fall most heavily upon the poorest and can become causes of conflict. We will work together to promote a culture of stewardship, responsibility and hope for future generations.
We commit ourselves to encouraging political, civic and religious leaders to work tirelessly for peace, to uphold justice and the rule of law, to protect human dignity and fundamental freedoms, and to strengthen cooperation among nations for the good of all.
Together, we will continue to proclaim that peace and justice are inseparable, and that peace founded upon justice, truth, compassion and mutual trust is the surest path towards a future of hope. In a world of increasing interdependence, rapid communication and profound global challenges, we affirm that lasting security, genuine freedom and authentic peace can never be secured by force alone, but must be built through dialogue, solidarity, shared responsibility and the recognition that we are one human family.