FORUM Convention Calls Religious to Renew Commitment to Justice and Peace

October 20, 2026: The XIX National Convention of the Forum of Religious for Justice and Peace (FORUM), held at Ishvani Kendra, Pune, from 10 to 12 October 2026, called on religious women and men to respond more effectively to the challenges of justice, peace and solidarity in contemporary society.

Themed “Fostering Justice, Peace and Solidarity in Today’s Context,” the convention brought together 52 religious—36 women and 16 men—from 14 states and 27 congregations. Through discussions led by experienced resource persons, participants examined how religious life could respond more prophetically to the struggles of the poor, social injustice and ecological degradation.

A key outcome of the convention was the release of FORUM’s seventh revised Constitution. The amendments had been approved at the organisation’s General Body meeting in Indore in October 2024.

FORUM traces its origins to a 1985 consultation on justice and peace organised by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences in Manila, followed by a meeting of representatives of women’s and men’s congregations in Hua Hin, Thailand, in 1986. The Indian chapter was established in Hyderabad in 1987 by 27 representatives of religious congregations engaged in justice and peace initiatives. Its first meeting was held in Nagpur in 1989 on the theme ‘Spirituality of Religious Social Activists’. A seven-member Executive Committee of the Forum was elected. A committee was constituted to draft a Constitution of the Forum that captures the spirit and vitality of the Forum. The same draft was adopted in 1990 at its General Assembly. Over the years, in response to the signs of the time and the cries of the poor, Forum members thought it fit to make revisions to a way of proceeding in the form of a more relevant Constitution.

The FORUM has a vision encapsulated in, “Religious women and men who live the Gospel radically, responding to the increasing dehumanisation and the ecological degradation, by promoting Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC)”. This vision of the FORUM is realized, primarily by evolving and practicing a radical and prophetic spirituality.

This spirituality emanates from the stirrings of the Holy Spirit in one's heart and from the participation in the struggles and cries of the poor whose rights are violated. It enables the members of the FORUM:

The Pune convention examined several pressing questions: how religious life could respond more meaningfully to the signs of the times; how religious could accompany young people, particularly Generation Z; and how they could collaborate with people of goodwill to build a more just and humane society.

Participants also discussed the challenges posed by communal politics, the need to uphold the values enshrined in the Indian Constitution, and the importance of greater involvement of younger religious in FORUM. The discussions highlighted the need for prophetic courage in confronting injustice and promoting gender justice, social inclusion and ecological responsibility.

A statement unanimously adopted at the General Body meeting summarised the spirit of the convention and outlined possible directions for FORUM’s future engagement.

By Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ