ROME 2026

The world is going through a period of profound tensions, marked by a proliferation of armed conflicts, social divisions, ideological radicalization, and humanitarian crises. In the face of these challenges, the pursuit of peace cannot be limited solely to diplomatic or bellicose (let alone military) means: it also requires profound cultural, educational, and spiritual efforts capable of mobilizing consciences, religious traditions, and relations among peoples.

With this in mind,the Multireligious Institute of Mercy (Institute on Mercy – IoM), in collaboration withthe Military Ordinariate for Italy and numerous institutional partners, is organizing an international symposium in Rome dedicated to conflict prevention and management, placing the relationship between justice and mercy at the heart of the discussion.

The goal is to foster dialogue among religious leaders of the major spiritual traditions, civil and military authorities, academics, those working on the ground, and representatives of international organizations, in order to jointly identify concrete paths toward genuine and lasting peace, based on human dignity, universal brotherhood, and shared responsibility.

The Multireligious Institute of Mercy follows in the footsteps of the Abu Dhabi Declaration on Human Fraternity and aims to promote concrete collaboration among believers of different religious traditions and all people of good will, so that together they may build more just, more fraternal, and more peaceful societies.

The conference will address several major themes, including:

• prevent conflicts before they escalate into violence;
• promote a culture of encounter and dialogue;
• to educate people about the “civilization of love”;
• to build bridges rather than walls or towers between peoples and cultures;
• to reflect on ways to harmonize justice and mercy in the defense of individuals, communities, and peoples;
• define concrete initiatives that enable civil institutions and religious communities to collaborate effectively in peacebuilding.

The afternoon of November 5, organized in collaboration with the Military Ordinariate, will be the highlight of the symposium. Participants will include civil authorities, representatives of a wide variety of religions, representatives of Holy See dicasteries, as well as experts and leaders committed to promoting peace.

The event will consist of two roundtable discussions, separated by a break. Each speaker will haveabout ten minutes to present, in order to foster a dynamic dialogue and an interdisciplinary exchange of diverse experiences and expertise.

Beyond theoretical discussion, the conference aims to generate practical proposals and strengthen international networks dedicated to conflict prevention, reconciliation, and the promotion of peace.

This conference aims to contribute to the emergence of a genuine culture of conflict prevention, in which justice—far from being at odds with mercy—finds its fulfillment in the service of reconciliation, the protection of the most vulnerable, and brotherhood among peoples.

By bringing together religious leaders, civil and military authorities, academics, diplomats, and stakeholders working on the ground, this initiative aims to foster lasting collaborations in the service of peace, human dignity, and the common good.