OSMTH DIALOGUE INTER RELIGIONS

2) We support the objectives of the High-level Dialogue in promoting a culture of peace and dialogue among civilizations, in advancing multi-stakeholder coalitions including the private sector on related issues, in further strengthening the Alliance of Civilizations initiative, and in translating shared values into action in order to achieve sustainable peace in the Twenty-First Century.

3) We recognize the positive role of interreligious and intercultural dialogue, in particular, in enhancing understanding and cooperation among religions, based upon respect among people of faith committed to promoting and protecting human rights, as addressed by the global community in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 and in the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief in 1981.

4) We join with the many voices raised during the High-level Dialogue in condemnation of those who advocate violence in the name of religious beliefs toward other faiths and ethnic communities. We understand the extrinsic motivation due to the immediate conflicts and violence which have become too common in many part of the global community of nations. Yet, history has taught us that such extrinsic motivation is not able to sustain the necessary dialogue. The current interreligious and intercultural dialogue for understanding and cooperation for peace cannot be sustain unless it develops an intrinsic motivation focused on developing a genuine and sustainable interreligious solidarity. It is through such that interreligious dialogue we can find a common ground to deal with the challenging questions of intentionality among religions in competition with one another by means of evangelism aimed at converting members of other religions to one’s own faith tradition. This awareness was recognized within the global community in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948).  

5) We are strongly committed to the safety and protection of the religious edifices and monuments of all religions, in keeping with United Nations Resolution A/RES/55/254 for the Protection of Religious Sites, adopted unanimously by the General Assembly.

6) We support the empowerment of women to assume a more active role in utilizing the potential of interreligious dialogue and in contributing to conflict-resolution, conflict-prevention, and peace building.

7) We support the education of children and youth in interreligious and intercultural dialogue, conflict-resolution skills, peacemaking and reconciliation.

8) In this age of instant global communication, we see the role of media and communication as a critical focus of attention.

9) We have noted the threats such as poverty and under-development, natural disasters, violence, infectious diseases, environment degradation, and many other challenges for the global community today threaten our common survival. In this global environment, the attainment of sustainable peace must go beyond a political settlement and to work toward alleviating and ultimately eliminating both the causes and the legacy of inequality that are used by many to fuel violence in the name of their own interpretation of religion.

10) Overcoming a history of actual or perceived injustices, violence, revenge, and retribution in the name of religion is a major task. We have sought to familiarize ourselves with best practices of interreligious dialogue and intervention. One of these has captured our attention by its core values, its implementation and intervention strategies, and its successes and ability to adapt to cultural and interreligious contexts (for example, its work among the Abrahamic faiths in Kashmir, India and Pakistan), namely “Faith-Based Reconciliation” of intractable, identity-based conflict as implemented by the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy. This Faith-Based Reconciliation methodology works to establish a religious framework for peace upon which political leaders can build—a major intervention strategy to facilitate solidarity, respect, and peaceful relationships within an environment of identity based conflict, drawing upon the faith and faith traditions of the peoples involved and working in the midst of a community-based environment. We commend the many efforts of interreligious dialogue and faith-based reconciliation and we specifically support faith-based reconciliation of intractable, identity-based conflict.

11) We commit ourselves to advocating and facilitating interreligious and intercultural dialogue for understanding and cooperation for peace and the work of reconciliation and working with the United Nations’ initiative and its member nations.