Parliament of World's Religions, Aim, Participants and Legacy

Parliament of World’s Religions, Aim, Participants and Legacy

The Parliament of World's Religions is a global interfaith forum promoting dialogue, peace, justice, and cooperation among diverse religious traditions."

Context: September 11, 2025, marked 132 years since Swami Vivekananda’s historic speech at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago.

What is the Parliament of World’s Religions?

Parliament of World’s Religions was held in Chicago from September 11–27, 1893, as part of the World’s Columbian Exposition.
- Brought together representatives of major world religions for dialogue on faith and coexistence.
Aim:
- Promote interfaith understanding, tolerance, and cooperation.
- Showcase religion as a unifying force rather than a divisive one.
Participants:
- Featured speakers from Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and other traditions.
- Swami Vivekananda’s speeches on Vedanta and religious harmony became the highlight of the event.
Legacy:
- Marked the first formal interfaith dialogue on such a global scale.
- Continues to be held periodically in different cities (e.g., Chicago 1993, Barcelona 2004, Chicago 2023).