The Chicago-based Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions announced Wednesday that religious leaders from around the world will convene to discuss religion and violence at a conference July 7-13 in Barcelona, Spain.
The meeting will be the world's largest interreligious gathering since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, parliament officials said. The conference's theme has become more relevant after the March 11 attacks on Madrid's commuter trains. Islamic radicals associated with the Al Qaeda network are believed to have carried out the violence.
The 7,000 to 10,000 participants will be asked to develop ways to overcome violence motivated by religion and to support refugees, to increase access to clean water and to eliminate debt in developing countries.