June 7, 2019

Current Leaders

Office-Bearers and Honorary Presidents​
(SinceTokyo Assembly)

Updated on May 22, 2025

*Honorary President

  • The Most Rev. Nichiko Niwano (Japan, Buddhist)  Profile

  • Prof. Dr. Mohammed Sirajuddin Syamsuddin (Republic of Indonesia, Muslim)  Profile

  • Dr. Sung Gon Kim (Republic of Korea, Won-Buddhist)

    *Co-Presidents

    • Dr. Deepali Bhanot (India, Hindus) ​*EC  Profile

    • Dr. Ahmad Suaedy (Republic of Indonesia, Muslim)*EC  Profile

    • The Most Ven. Gijun Sugitani (Japan, Buddhist)*EC  Profile

    • Rev. Jong Su Choe (Republic of Korea)*EC

    • Rev. A. Elga Sarapung (Republic of Indonesia, Protestant)  *EC   (an ex-officio member (APWoFN)​)  Profile

      *Secretary-General

      • Rev. Dr. Yoshinori Shinohara (Japan, Buddhist) *EC  Profile

      *Moderator

      • Prof. Desmond Cahill. O.A.M. (Australia, Roman Catholic) *EC  Profile

      *Deputy Moderator

      • Mr. Zhang Maoyu (People’s Republic of China) Profile

        *Treasurer

        • Rev. Taesung KIM (South Korea, Won-Buddhist) 

        National Chapter Members for Executive Council
        and Governance Assembly (Since Tokyo Assembly)

        ※EC=Executive Council member, GA=Governance Assembly member

        Australia

        ● Prof. Desmond Cahill. O.A.M. (Roman Catholic) *EC/GA  Profile
        ● Dr. Susan Ennis (Protestant) *GA  Profile
        ● Ms. Philippa Rowland (Buddhist) *GA  Profile
        ● Ms. Therese Sussmilch (Brahma Kumaris) *GA

        People’s Republic of Bangladesh

        ● Principal Sukomal Barua (Buddhist) *EC/GA Profile
        ● Prof. Dr. NHM Abu Bakar (Muslim) *EC/GA Profile
        ● Prof. Ranajit Kumar Dey *GA 
        ● Prof. (Rtd.) Rashida Khanam Ph.D. (Muslim)  *GA Profile
        ● Mr. Dilip Barua *GA
        ● Mr. Ambrose Gomes *GA
        ● Mr. Md. Yachin *GA
        ● Rev. Kanchan Barua (Buddhist) *GA

        Kingdom of Cambodia

        ● Ven. Dr. Yon Seng Yeath (Buddhist) *GA
        ● Mr. Oeun Sam Art (Buddhist) *EC/GA
        ● Mr. Yi Thon (Buddhist) *GA
        ● Father Un Son (Roman Catholic)
         *GA

        People’s Republic of China

        ● Mr. Deng Zongliang  *EC/GA
        ● Master Ven. Yanjue (Buddhist) *EC/GA
        ● Ven. Li Guangfu (Taoist) *EC/GA
        ● Imam Yang Faming (Muslim) *EC/GA
        ● Rev. Fang Xingyao (Roman Catholic) *EC/GA
        ● Rev. Xu Xiaohong (Protestant) *EC/GA
        ● Mr. Lacan *GA
        ● Panchen Erdeni Choskyi Gyalpo (Tibetan Buddhist) *GA
        ● Ven. Zhang Gaocheng *GA
        ● 
        Mr. Adilijiang Ajikelimu *GA
        ● Rev. Shen Bin *GA
        ● Ms. Gao Ye (Taoist) *GA

        India

        ● Father Bento Neves Rodrigues (Christian) *EC/GA
        ● Mr. Narayanapillai Vasudevan (Hindus) *EC/GA
        ● Dr. Deepali Bhanot (Hindus) *EC/GA
        ● Mr. Abdul Mabood (Muslim) *EC/GA
        ● Mr. Ezekiel Isaac Malekar (Jewish) *EC/GA
        ● Swami Atmapriyananda (Hindus) *GA
        ● Dr. Anitha Ajith (Hindus) *GA
        ● Dr. Sujeet Kumar Dubey(Hindus) *GA
        ● Dr. M.D. Thomas (Christian) *GA
        ● Representative of Shri Sugunendra Theetha Swamiji *GB (Name will be given later.)
        ● Mr. Iqbal Asif (Muslim) *GA
        ● Dr. Karuna Sagari Venkatachalam (Hindu)  *GA

        Republic of Indonesia

        ● Prof. Mohammad Machasin Syamsudin (Muslim) *EC/GA
        ● Father Johannes Hariyanto, SJ (Roman Catholic) *EC/GA
        ● Prof. Philip Kuntjoro Widjaja (Buddhist) *EC/GA
        ● Rev. A. Elga Joan Sarapung (Protestant) *EC/GA
        ● Mrs. Dewi Kanti Setianingsih *GA
        ● Dr. Chandra Setiawan, Ph.D. *GA
        ● Prof. Dr. Nyoman Kertia *GA
        ● Prof. Dr. Musdah Mulia  *GA
        ● Rev. Dr. Mery L. Y. Kolimon (Christian) *GA
        ● Mr. Rudy Soraya *GA

        Republic of Iraq

        ● (To be nominated *EC/GA)
        ● (To be nominated *GA)
        ● (To be nominated *GA)
        ● (To be nominated *GA)

        Japan

        ● Rev. Keiji Kunitomi(Buddhist) *EC/GA
        ● Rev. Munemichi Kurozumi (Shinto) *EC/GA
        ● Dr. Kathy Matsui (Buddhist) *EC/GA
        ● Ven. Gijun Sugitani(Buddhist) *EC/GA
        ● Rev. Yoshiharu Tomatsu (Buddhist) *EC/GA
        ● Rev. Mitsuo Miyake (Shinto) *GA
        ● Ven. Eigen Onishi(Buddhist) *GA
        ● Rev. Megumi Wada(Buddhist) *GA

        Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

        ● (To be nominated *EC/GA)
        ● (To be nominated *GA)
        ● (To be nominated *GA)
        ● (To be nominated *GA)

        Republic of Korea


        ● Rev. Beom Gyu Seo (Protestant) *EC/GA
        ● Ven. Do Shim (Buddhist) *EC/GA
        ● Rev. Myung Ah Lee (Won-Buddhism)  *EC/GA
        ● Ms. Mi Ae Lee (Chundogyo)  *EC/GA
        ● Mr. Young Sun Kim (Catholic) *EC/GA
        ● Dr. Jaehoon Han (Korean Native Religion) *GA

         Kyrgyz Republic

        ● Ms. Jamby Djusubalieva (Muslim, sufi) *EC/GA
        ● Mr. Vladislav Heo (Buddhist) *GA

        Malaysia

        ● Dr. Poey Tiang Peow (Buddhism) *EC/GA
        ● Muhammad Afifi  (Muslim) *GA
        ● Pearly Chan Poh Yee (Taoist) *GA
        ● Sheila Chakrabarty  *GA

        Mongolia

        ● Ven. Dr. Tumeekhuu Bulgan (Buddhist) *EC/GA
        ● Dr. Lhagvademchig Jadamba  *GA

        Republic of the Union of Myanmar

        ● Al Haj Kalifah U Aye Lwin (Muslim) *EC/GA
        ● Mr. U Myint Swe (Buddhist) *GA
        ● Dr. Hla Tun (Hindus) *GA
        ● Father George Shwe Htun (Roman Catholic) *GA
        ● Daw Yin Yin Maw (Protestant) *GA
        ● Rev. Mahn Palmerston (Myanmar Council of Churches) *GA

        Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal

        ● Mrs. Indira Manandhar (Buddhist) *EC/GA
        ● Mr. Lokmaya Golcha (Jains)  *GA
        ● Mrs. Pooja Manandhar (Hindus)  *GA
        ● Mr. Narendra Pandey (Baha’i)  *GA

        New Zealand

        ● Emeritus Prof. Paul Morris (Jewish) *EC/GA
        ● Dr. Pushapa Wood (Hindus) *GA

        Islamic Republic of Pakistan

        ● Mr. Khalid Nawaz Khan Marwat (Muslim) *EC/GA
        ● Ms. Huma Ikramullah Kashif (Muslim) *EC/G
        ● Ms, Valentina.P.F. Gomes (Catholic)*EC
        ● Mr. Muhammad Hanif Khan (Muslim) *GA
        ● Mrs. Seemi Ikuramullah Khan (Muslim) *GA
        ● Ms. Danishamand (Muslim)  *GA
        ● Mr. Nadeem Jillani (Muslim) *GA
        ● Ms. Asfa Khan (Muslim) *GA
        ● Mr. Mahmood Kakar (Muslim) *GA
        ● Ms. Leena Samuel (Christian)  *GA
        ● Mr. Salman Khan (Muslim) *GA

        Republic of the Philippines

        ● Dr. Lilian J. Sison (Roman Catholic) *EC/GA
        ● Father Carlos Reyes (Roman Catholic)*EC/GA
        ● Hadia Lourdes Mastura (Muslim) *GA
        ● Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, DD (Roman Catholic)  *GA
        ● Imam Ebra Moxsir (Muslim) *GA
        ● Father Filemon Dela Cruz, Jr. OP (Roman Catholic) *GA
        ● Ms.Haidi Flores-Fajardo (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) *GA
        ● Dr. Pablito Baybado Jr. (Roman Catholic) *GA

        Singapore

        ● Mr. Laurence Chong (Christian) *EC/GA
        ● (To be nominated *GA)

        Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

        ● Rev. Dr. Wadinagala Pannaloka (Buddhist) *EC/GA
        ● Bishop Valence Mendice (Christian) *EC/GA
        ● Ven. Bellanwila Pamarathana (Buddhist) *GA
        ● Miss Cristabel Saverimuttu (Roman Catholic) *GA

        Kingdom of Thailand

        ● Ms. Kanchana B. Soonsawad (Buddhist) *EC/GA
        ● Dr. Niracharapa Tongdhamachart (Buddhist) *GA
        ● Dr. Suphatmet Yunyasit (Buddhist) *GA
        ● Associate Prof. Dr. Ismail Lutfi Japakiya *GA
        ● Bishop Joseph Chusak Sirisut (Roman Catholic) *GA

        Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste

        ● (To be nominated *EC/GA)
        ● (To be nominated *GA)


        ● From Asia Pacific Women of Faith Network 
        Rev. A. Elga Joan Sarapung (Indonesia, Chair of APWoFN) *EC Profile

        ● From Asia & the Pacific Interfaith Youth Network
        Dr. Renz Christian Argao (Philippines, Moderator of APIYN) *EC Profile | Video

        ※The moderator, the Deputy Moderator, Secretary-General, Co-Presidents, the Chair of APWoFN(Women’s Network) and APIYN (Youth Network), and the elected members become EC members in accordance with the Constitution.