In the United States, today (January 17, 2022) is set aside to celebrate the birthday of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Parliament therefore wishes to honor Dr. King and all those who have worked and continue to work to achieve peace and justice through non-violence. The teachings of non-violence have an ancient history spanning the East and the West. At the Parliament of the World’s Religions in 1993, these teachings were adopted in the Parliament’s foundational document, the Global Ethic, in its call for “a commitment to a culture of Non-Violence and Respect for Life”.

Dr. King worked tirelessly for the advancement of Human and Civil Rights. At a time where the rights of ethnic and religious minorities are threatened around the world, including the right to vote in Dr. King’s own country; the Parliament wishes to reinforce its commitment to the Global Ethic, the dignity and rights of all human beings, the practice of non-violence, and the teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. We call upon all leaders and all people of faith and conscience to join us in this ongoing commitment. Together we can build a better world through the values that Dr. King embodied.