The European Council of Religious Leaders is supported by Professor Mark Owen (University of Winchester) in the capacity of Secretary General and Rebecca Bellamy in the capacity of Executive Secretary. They work closely with ECRL’s elected President and support the development of the Council.

Bishop Kari Mangrud Alvsvåg, was ordained a priest for the Norwegian Church Abroad in Dubai in 1999. She describes that the ministry there provided a strong encounter with a multicultural society, and she believes this experience is where her commitment to interaction between religious actors was awakened. As well as several responsible positions within the Church of Norway before becoming Bishop, she also worked for eight years as a teacher and social pedagogical advisor. She was elected President of ECRL September 2024.

Photographer credit Jon Terje Hellgren Hansen

Professor Dr Mark Owen holds a BA in Theology and Religious Studies, MA in World Religions, and PhD in Tibetan Buddhism. Mark has extensive experience of working with interfaith and multi-faith organisations, and an academic and practical background in religious peacebuilding. Dr Owen has been Secretary General of the European Council of Religious Leaders since May 2017, and is also the Director of the Centre of Religion, Reconciliation and Peace, University of Winchester, UK. Mark has carried out research on religion’s roles in peacebuilding and reconciliation in numerous countries in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Rebecca is part-time Executive Secretary to the European Council of Religious Leaders and has been supporting the council since 2016. Rebecca is not representative of her faith or other professional associations in her service to ECRL.  She is a member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). Rebecca’s main work is as Peacebuilding Coordinator for Quakers in Britain. Previous to this she worked for eight years as the Coordinator for the Centre of Religion Reconciliation and Peace at the University of Winchester and six years managing a Muslim and Jewish dialogue, arts and education charity. Rebecca serves as General Secretary of an ecumenical body of British churches, Faith in Europe. She is also passionate about arts and has organised arts festivals and events in the UK.