2023 Parliament of the World’s Religions to Be Hosted in the Birthplace of the Interfaith Movement, the City of Chicago

Monday, October 25, 2021 – 09:00
Media Release
For Immediate Distribution

At the closing of the 2021 Parliament of the World’s Religions, the organizers announced that the world’s premier interfaith convening returns to Chicago to celebrate 130 years of history.

CHICAGO, IL (October 25, 2021) – The Parliament of the World’s Religions has announced that the 9th global convening of the interfaith movement will be hosted in the city of Chicago in 2023.

2023 marks the 130th anniversary of the groundbreaking 1893 World’s Parliament of Religions, the birthplace of the modern interfaith movement, and the 30th anniversary of the 1993 Parliament of the World’s Religions.

Chicago holds the unique distinction of serving as the host of two historic Parliament Convenings and as the headquarters of the organization by the same name, which carries on its vision of interfaith dialogue and a mission of justice, peace and sustainability.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot joined the Convening of the 2021 Parliament of the World’s Religions, hosted this October 16-18th virtually, to invite communities of faith from around the world to the city of Chicago.

“In 2023, Chicago is reaffirming its commitment to its history as the birthplace of this movement and to the mission of the organization making this possible, to cultivate harmony among the world’s religious and spiritual communities and to foster their engagement with the world and its guiding institutions to address the critical issues of our time,” emphasized Mayor Lightfoot during her address.

Since the historic 1893 World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago, modern Parliament Convenings have attracted participants from more than 200 diverse religious, indigenous, and secular beliefs and more than 80 nations to its international gatherings in Chicago (1993), Cape Town (1999), Barcelona (2004), Melbourne (2009), Salt Lake City (2015), Toronto (2018) and virtually (2021). These Parliament Convenings are the world’s oldest, largest, and most inclusive gatherings of the global interfaith movement. Nearly 60,000 people across the world have convened in an enduring commitment to justice, peace and sustainability through the lens of interfaith dialogue and cooperation.

Global leaders like His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, UN Messenger of Peace Jane Goodall, Nobel Peace Laureates Desmond Tutu and Shirin Ebadi, and President Jimmy Carter have addressed the Parliament Convenings throughout its history.

The organizing of the 2023 Parliament of the World’s Religions is now under way. Rev. Stephen Avino, who serves as the Acting Executive Director of Parliament of the World’s Religions, invites all people of faith and conscience to, “…come celebrate the anniversary of the Parliament and the Interfaith movement in its hometown. We will honor the past and plan for a better future”.

The Parliament invites all interested parties to stay tuned for updates and opportunities to get involved by signing up for the Parliament newsletter at parliamentofreligions.org/2023

For more information about the Parliament of the World’s Religions, please visit www.parliamentofreligions.org