The International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF), founded in Boston in 1900, is the world's oldest international interfaith group. Throughout its more than 100 years, Unitarians, liberal Christians, and those known as "Free Christians" have provided its leadership. Between the two world wars the IARF struggled to define a liberal Christian vision of liberty and tolerance; after World War II it embraced a pluralist view of the world's religious diversity.

In the last two decades, the IARF has acquired active participants from many religions: Japanese lay Buddhists and Shrine Shinto priests, Indian Buddhists, Christians, Sikhs, Muslims, Unitarians, and members of the Ramakrishna Mission and Brahmo Samaj. In 1981 Rissho Kosei-kai's founder, the late Rev. Nikkyo Niwano, was elected the IARF's 25th president; its 1984 congress was hosted by Rissho Kosei-kai at its Tokyo headquarters.

The 31st World Congress of the IARF took place at the Budapest University of Economic Sciences and Public Administration from July 28 through August 2, 2002. Some 650 IARF member religionists and scholars of religion from 25 countries took part. On behalf of Rissho Kosei-kai, 70 members attended, headed by Rev. Katsunori Yamanoi, the organization's chairman. During the six-day congress, whose theme was "Religious Freedom: Europe's Story for Today's World," the participants engaged in insightful discussions on such issues as discrimination against religious minorities, and sought concrete ways to realize and ensure religious freedom. In a plenary meeting, Rev. Yamanoi was elected a member of the IARF International Council and chairman of its financial committee. 

More detailed information is available on the IARF's official Web site at http://iarf-religiousfreedom.net/.