PHNOM PENH (SE): The Eighth Buddhist-Christian Colloquium opened on May 27 at the Catholic Pastoral Centre in Phnom Penh, drawing together religious leaders, scholars, and peacebuilders from across Asia and around the world. The colloquium is themed “Buddhists and Christians Working Together for Peace through Reconciliation and Resilience.”
The event was officially opened by George Jacob Cardinal Koovakad, prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, who urged participants to draw on the deep spiritual resources of their respective traditions to respond to the crises of the modern world. “This session offers a sacred space where Buddhists and Christians gather not only as representatives of two venerable traditions, but also as fellow pilgrims, united by a common commitment for peace,” he said in his opening address.
Cardinal Koovakad addressed global challenges such as violence, poverty, injustice, and environmental degradation, calling the colloquium “a sign of hope” in the face of discouragement and division. He stressed that reconciliation and resilience, central to both Christian and Buddhist teachings, are key to healing fractured societies and restoring hope. “These values are not abstract ideals,” he said, “but lived expressions of our faith capable of building lasting peace.”
Bishop Olivier Schmitthaeusler, apostolic vicar of Phnom Penh, welcomed the international delegation with a message of gratitude and hope. He praised Cambodia’s peaceful interreligious atmosphere and expressed appreciation to the Royal Government for its support of religious harmony.
“This colloquium will be remembered in the history of our small Catholic Church in Cambodia,” Bishop Schmitthaeusler said. Quoting the late Pope Francis, he encouraged all present to adopt “a culture of dialogue as a path, common collaboration as a way of life, and mutual understanding as a method and criterion.”
The bishop expressed his hope that the gathering would be “a visible sign of this harmony” and would move all participants “towards hope.”
Among those contributing to the discussions is Cardinal Stephen Chow, S.J., bishop of Hong Kong, who is scheduled to speak on May 28. His participation reflects the Church in Hong Kong’s continued engagement with interfaith dialogue and commitment to peacebuilding in Asia.
The colloquium, co-hosted by the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue and the Catholic Church in Cambodia, builds on the Church’s longstanding mission of interreligious cooperation first encouraged by Nostra Aetate [1965], the Second Vatican Council’s ground-breaking declaration on the relationship of the Church with non-Christian religions.
Since its inaugural session in Taiwan in 1995, the Buddhist-Christian Colloquium has taken place in countries including India, Japan, Thailand, and Italy. The most recent colloquium in Bangkok in 2023 focused on healing humanity and the Earth through compassion and love.
This year’s theme reflects urgent global concerns such as armed conflict, social fragmentation, and ecological devastation. Participants are exploring how values central to both Buddhism and Christianity—such as compassion, justice, and love—can foster resilient communities and restore human dignity.
The Catholic Church in Cambodia, which re-established ties with the Holy See in 1994, has been actively engaged in interfaith initiatives with the country’s Buddhist majority. These include educational projects, humanitarian responses, and local peacebuilding activities aimed at promoting unity in diversity.
The gathering also pays tribute to influential figures of peace, including Venerable Maha Ghosananda, widely known as the “Gandhi of Cambodia” for his nonviolent Dhammayietra [Peace Walks], and Tun Channareth, a Catholic and Nobel Peace Prize laureate who survived a landmine explosion and now advocates for global disarmament.
In addition, the Cambodian Interreligious Council [.IC], which unites Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, and other religious communities, was acknowledged for its continuous work in promoting mutual respect and social harmony.
In his address, Cardinal Koovakad also quoted Pope Leo XIV, who called peace “an active and demanding gift,” and recalled Pope Francis’ Testament, written before his death, in which he dedicated his final sufferings “for peace in the world and for fraternity among peoples.”
The cardinal thanked Buddhist leaders and others who expressed solidarity following Pope Francis’ passing and urged continued cooperation in the pursuit of peace. “Together, as Buddhists and Christians, let us explore how reconciliation and resilience can help shape peaceful and compassionate societies,” he said.
He concluded by echoing Pope Leo XIV’s powerful call for collective moral clarity: “If we are in agreement, and free from ideological and political conditioning, we can be effective in saying ‘no’ to war and ‘yes’ to peace, ‘no’ to the arms race and ‘yes’ to disarmament, ‘no’ to an economy that impoverishes peoples and the Earth, and ‘yes’ to integral development.”
With around 50 international delegates and 100 local participants from 16 countries, including representatives from the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC), the Phnom Penh colloquium marks a significant moment of interfaith solidarity.As Cambodia continues to emerge from its traumatic past, the 8th Buddhist-Christian Colloquium affirms that dialogue, mutual respect, and shared spiritual values are not only possible but essential to building a more peaceful, just, and compassionate world
