Source: Inter Press Service News Agency

http://www.ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=23116

On March 31, 2004 the Inter Press Service News Agency reported, "The past few days have seen religious leaders around Africa take the lead in addressing violence on the continent. In Zimbabwe, clerics from various Christian denominations gathered in Harare and Bulawayo to pray for peace in their country, which is in the throes of political and economic hardship. Colleagues from neighbouring South Africa, Botswana and Zambia travelled to Zimbabwe to join the services. Further north, in Kenya, something similar was taking place. Over 40 religious leaders from East and central Africa met in Nairobi over the weekend for a summit that focussed on the work the various faiths were doing in conflict situations in these regions. The interfaith meeting, which concluded Monday (Mar. 29) was the third of its type in Africa. Clerics from West Africa came together for a similar conference last October in Liberia, while their Southern African counterparts gathered in 2002. An interfaith peace summit for North Africa is scheduled to take place in July this year. In a communiqué released after the meeting, the Christian, Hindu and Muslim leaders pledged to make joint visits to conflict areas, and lobby governments to end violence in their regions."