Director, Peace Center

Father James Channan is a Pakistani Catholic priest and a member of the Dominican Order. He was ordained a priest on 9 April 1980. He has been engaged in promoting interfaith harmony—especially Christian-Muslim dialogue—for the past 40 years. He was appointed by Pope John Paul II as consultor to the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Vatican, and for the Vatican Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims, where he served for 15 years. He has completed advanced studies at the Pontifical Institute for Arabic Language and Islam in Rome and at Emmanuel College, Harvard University, and American University in the United States. He is the author of four books and has participated in hundreds of national and international conferences on religious freedom and interfaith harmony. Since 2010, Father Channan has served as director of the Peace Center in Lahore. He is well-known in Pakistan and elsewhere for his efforts to promote religious freedom and build bridges of harmony, peace, and respect among all religions.