Kuala Lumpur hosts global religious leaders summit on peace and youth

More than 2,000 religious leaders, scholars, policymakers and youth representatives from 31 countries met in Kuala Lumpur on June 12 for the 3rd International Summit of Religious Leaders. The gathering focused on peace, social harmony and youth empowerment amid rapid technological change, and unveiled a new Global Diplomacy Award. Why it matters: - The Kuala Lumpur summit centered on how religious leadership can help reduce conflict, strengthen social cohesion and guide young people through fast-moving technological change. - Organizers framed youth as a key target group for both opportunity and risk, especially as social media and artificial intelligence reshape public life. - The meeting added a new international award meant to recognize work that advances peace, moderation, tolerance and peaceful dispute resolution. What happened: - More than 2,000 religious leaders, scholars, academics, policymakers, diplomats and youth representatives from 31 countries gathered in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, June 12, 2026. - The 3rd International Summit of Religious Leaders 2026 took place at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. - The Muslim World League and the Office of the Prime Minister of Malaysia co-hosted the summit. - Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Sheikh Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa opened the event. - The summit also drew 26 ambassadors, dozens of ministers and other senior international officials. The details: - In his opening remarks, Sheikh Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa said religious leaders have a responsibility to address problems affecting global peace and social harmony. - Al-Issa highlighted the role of youth in confronting risks linked to uncontrolled exposure to modern technology, especially artificial intelligence, without enough intellectual resilience or ethical safeguards. - Speakers examined four main themes: social harmony and mutual respect, youth leadership and education, contemporary challenges facing young people, and the role of religious leadership in developing future generations. - Participants stressed dialogue, coexistence and collaboration as tools for building resilient societies that can handle more complex global problems. - The summit focused on strategies to help young people respond to risks tied to social media and artificial intelligence. - About 2,000 participants from different religious and cultural backgrounds took part in efforts to shape the future of international youth engagement around shared principles and goals. - The discussions also addressed ethical and security challenges tied to the pace of technological progress. - Participants linked those challenges to extremism and violent extremism, which increasingly target young people among their main victims. Between the lines: - The summit positioned religious institutions as practical actors in digital-age governance, not just moral voices. - The emphasis on youth suggests organizers see young people as both the most exposed group and the most important source of long-term stability. - The launch of the Global Diplomacy Award signals an effort to turn the summit from a convening into a continuing international platform. What’s next: - The Global Diplomacy Award will recognize individuals and institutions that contribute to peace, moderation, tolerance, coexistence and peaceful conflict resolution. - Organizers ended the summit with renewed calls for international cooperation, ethical leadership and greater investment in youth as partners in peace and sustainable development. - In side meetings, Al-Issa met with young religious leaders, university students and researchers from different cultures and faiths, underscoring plans for continued intergenerational and interfaith engagement. - The Muslim World League said its broader mission includes promoting moderation, humanitarian work and cooperation among civilizations. - More information is available through the Muslim World League’s social media channels, including Facebook , TikTok and X . The bottom line: - The Kuala Lumpur summit cast youth empowerment and interfaith cooperation as central tools for confronting conflict, extremism and technology-driven disruption.