Parliament of the World’s Religions Welcomes New Executive Director

Thursday, December 2, 2021 – 09:00
Media Release
For Immediate Distribution

Board of Trustees of the Parliament of the World’s Religions Welcomes Rev. Stephen Avino as Executive Director

CHICAGO, IL (November 19, 2021) – The Parliament of the World’s Religions(PoWR) announced that its Board of Trustees has selected Rev. Stephen Avino to serve as Executive Director of the organization.

Headquartered in Chicago, IL, USA, the Parliament of the World’s Religions is an international 501(c)3 NGO with a mission to cultivate harmony among the world’s religious and spiritual communities and foster their engagement with the world and its guiding institutions to address the critical issues of our time. Renowned around the world for its global interfaith convenings, PoWR announces the appointment of Rev. Avino after a decision by the Board during their fall meeting this November.

“It is a pleasure and utmost honor to work with Stephen and see him being promoted as an Executive Director. His heart beats for PoWR and over past years, has shown dedication and leadership to continue to drive the agenda of the Parliament. We are pretty confident that he will take the Parliament to greater heights and continue to support us in finding solutions to the issues that challenge humanity in the 21st century,” declared Mr. Nitin Ajmera, the Chair of the Board of Trustees of PoWR.

Rev. Stephen Avino previously served as the Chief Operating Officer & Acting Executive Director of the Parliament. An avid seeker of knowledge and a dedicated person of faith, Rev. Stephen Avino earned a Master of Arts in Religious Studies at the Chicago Theological Seminary. Born and raised in the Chicago area, Rev. Avino became a member of the staff at the Parliament in 2012.

With almost a decade of dedicated service with the Parliament, Rev. Stephen Avino is deeply committed to advocating for the legacy of the Parliament and a more inclusive interreligious movement.

Rev. Avino’s tenure as the Executive Director of the Parliament of the World’s Religions begins as the organization prepares to host the 2023 Convening of the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago, marking the 130th anniversary of the 1893 World’s Parliament of Religions.

“I am honored to be appointed the Executive Director of an organization with an esteemed legacy like the Parliament of the World’s Religions. The Parliament’s mission of fostering interreligious dialogue in order to bring about a more just world is something everyone can get behind, and I look forward to Convening all people to Chicago in August 2023 to bring about a better world. This is a crucial time in human history and all voices need to be heard. Please join us,” shared Rev. Avino.

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