INTERFAITH DECLARATION: A Call to Conscience and Solidarity with the People of Ukraine
July 17, 2025
We, the undersigned leaders and representatives of diverse faith communities from around the world, gathered in the spirit of peace, justice, and human dignity, issue this united declaration in response to the ongoing war against Ukraine and Appeal of the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations to the Global Community of Believers.
We speak today as spiritual and moral voices, not as politicians or partisans, bearing witness to the sacred value of every human life and the responsibility of all peoples to defend peace, truth, and justice.
OUR COMMON GROUND
Our traditions differ in theology and practice, but we are united by these core principles:
• The sanctity of human life and the inherent dignity of every person.
• The moral duty to oppose violence, oppression, and injustice.
• The right of all nations and peoples to live in peace, freedom, and sovereignty.
• The calling to be peacemakers and to care for the wounded, displaced, and grieving.
ON THE WAR IN UKRAINE
We affirm that:
1. Ukraine has a moral and legal right to defend itself against invasion and aggression. The defense of one’s people and homeland in the face of unjust violence is not only lawful—it is moral.
2. Russia’s ongoing war of aggression is a grave injustice, bringing death, displacement, and destruction to millions. It violates the ethical teachings of all major faiths and the principles of international law.
3. Silence is complicity. Faith cannot be neutral in the face of injustice. Our spiritual traditions call us to speak and act in defense of the oppressed.
OUR COMMITMENTS
1. We pledge to raise our voices in sermons, teachings, and public forums to awaken the moral conscience of our communities.
2. We commit to sustained prayer and spiritual solidarity for peace in Ukraine, for the protection of its people, and for the healing of those who suffer.
3. We will mobilize humanitarian support through our faith networks to assist the displaced, the wounded, and those rebuilding lives in Ukraine and its diaspora.
4. We will advocate with our governments to uphold international law, support Ukraine’s sovereignty, and hold aggressors accountable.
5. We will stand together against religious manipulation and the misuse of sacred language to justify violence or imperial ambitions.
A CALL TO THE WORLD
We call upon:
• Religious leaders: To speak clearly and courageously in defence of peace with justice.
• Governments: To support the defence of Ukraine and resist false equivalencies.
• Communities of faith everywhere: To join in a global movement of prayer, aid, and advocacy for Ukraine’s peace, freedom, and restoration.
May our united voice, rooted in the deepest values of humanity and faith, awaken hearts and inspire action across the globe.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.”– Matthew 5:9
“Where there is no justice, there is no peace.”– Jewish Talmudic teaching
“Do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just: that is nearer to righteousness.”– Qur’an 5:8
“Ahimsa (nonviolence) is the highest duty.”– Mahabharata
“Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love; this is the eternal rule.”– Dhammapada
(Note: Signatures are still being collected)