forwarded by lattif shaban
— Dr. William F. Vendley wrote:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Ms. Andrea Louie, Religions for Peace
New York, USA
Tel: (+1) 212-687-2163
alouie@religionsforpeace.org
Senior Religious Leaders of Different Faiths
Condemn Terrorism and Misuse of Religion
—World Council Co-Presidents from Religions for Peace are among delegates from 32 countries at Baku interfaith Summit —
(NEW YORK, 29 April 2010)—Co-Presidents from the World Council of Religions for Peace, the world’s largest and most representative multi-religious coalition, were among the senior religious leaders from 32 countries who this week condemned terrorism and any attempts to use religion for destructive purposes.
The senior religious leaders from Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Hindu, and Muslim faith traditions were attending the World Summit of Religious Leaders on 26–27 April 2010, in Baku, Azerbaijan. The religious leaders spoke about their concern regarding extremism, terrorist acts, the use of weapons of mass destruction, human rights violations, and drug abuse.
Among those present providing leadership to Religions for Peace were Co-Presidents of its World Council: H.E. Prof. Dr. Ali Bardako?lu, President, Presidency of Religious Affairs, Turkey; His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch of All Armenians, Armenian Apostolic Church; and The Very Rev. Leonid Kishkovsky, Director of External Affairs, Orthodox Church in America and Moderator of Religions for Peace. One of the conveners of the summit was His Holiness Kirill I, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, and a former Religions for Peace Co-President.
“People who sow death and destruction attempt to use religious slogans to conceal their objectives,” the religious leaders said in a statement. “In present conditions, the cooperation of traditional religious communities becomes more and more vital. The responsibility for the future of the world motivates us to declare together that compromises in the choice between sin and goodness are inadmissible and to stand together against egoism, violence and enmity.”
A full text of the Baku statement may be found here.
http://religionsforpeace.org/news/press/press-release-world-summit.html
The Very Rev. Leonid Kishkovsky’s remarks at the summit are below.
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Greeting to the World Summit of Religious Leaders
Baku, Azerbajan
26-27 April 2010
The Very Reverend Leonid Kishkovsky
Moderator
Religions for Peace
On behalf of Religions for Peace, I bring greetings to the organizers and participants of the World Summit of Religious Leaders. The initiative of His Holiness Patriarch KIRILL of Moscow and All Russia and His Eminence Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh, Chairman of the Caucasus Muslim Board and Chief of the Advisory Council of the Commonwealth of Independent States, taken in the framework of the Interfaith Council of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), is an important, valuable, and timely initiative. Its significance goes far beyond the Caucasus region and beyond the Commonwealth of Independent States. The World Summit has a global importance. Its voice will be heard globally.
Religions for Peace, as a global alliance and fellowship of religious communities and inter-religious councils stands in solidarity with the Interfaith Council of the CIS, which is a most valuable partner in the Religions for Peace alliance.
As we reflect on the theme of “Globalization, Religion, Traditional Values,” we seek to articulate and to put into action the religious, spiritual, and moral resources of the great religious traditions in the context of the challenges of our time.
Globalization sometimes is understood – or rather misunderstood – as a process which leads to the blending of faiths and religious traditions. Such blending would violate the integrity of the religious traditions, depriving them of their spiritual power. It is the calling of each religious community to affirm the fullness of its faith. It is also the callling of each religious community to respect the other religious communities. Adherence to these two principles is necessary in order to achieve the collaboration of religious communities in building a peaceful and just world.
There is power and effectiveness in multi-religious collaboration. Together, we can accomplish far more than any one of us can accomplish alone. Multi-religious cooperation for peace can in many situations be more powerful – both symbolically and substantively – than the efforts of individual religious groups acting alone. The witness to peace and to the overcoming of fear, hostility, and violence is always made stronger when religious communities of different faiths act together.
The symbolic strength arises when multi-religious cooperation helps to prevent or stop conflicts that can – directly or indirectly – involve different religious communities. Symbolic actions by religious leaders can open the way to reconciliation and peace.
The substantive strength arises when cooperation helps diverse religious communities to address common challenges together, offers them creative ways to take advantage of their different strengths, and positions them for partnerships with others.
In each religious tradition there are teachings and narratives which mandate respect and love for one’sneighbor. This respect and love extend to persons and communities beyond each religious, national ,or ethnic circle. The teaching to respect and love the “other” is not a suggestion or option, it is a radical commandment and a mandate for action.
Meetings, conferences; and indeed, this World Summit of Religious Leaders, are not only words. They are events and actions which build trust, and which strengthen the voices of communities of faith. Religion is often enough co-opted, even manipulated and high-jacked, for political purposes and malevolent ends. Inter-religious collaboration helps to resist this cooptation and manipulation, helps to protect the integrity of religious communities and the authenticity of religious faith and action.
Religious communities and states and their governments have different and quite distinct identities, mandates, and capacities. Cooperation between them should respect these differences, even as it helps us all to build the peace for which our hearts hunger.
Religious faith and religious communities can translate the moral imperative of love of the neighbor into a political vision of “shared security.” Today, my security depends on your security. If you are vulnerable and insecure, I am also vulnerable and insecure. This is not only an insight into the personal dimension of the human condition. It is also applicable to states and nations and societies.
The global family of religious communities in the framework of the World Conference of Religions for Peace welcomes and affirms this World Summit of Religious Leaders. The initiative in convening the World Summit in Baku is an important stage in the journey – the pilgrimage – of religious leaders and religious communities towards deeper dialogue, mutual trust, and common action for peace.
RELIGIONS FOR PEACE—the world’s largest and most representative multi-religious coalition—advances common action among the world’s religious communities for peace. Religions for Peace works to transform violent conflict, advance human development, promote just and harmonious societies, and protect the earth. The global Religions for Peace network comprises a World Council of senior religious leaders from all regions of the world; six regional inter-religious bodies and more than seventy national ones; and the Global Women of Faith Network and Global Youth Network.
777 United Nations Plaza | New York, NY 10017 USA | Tel: +1 212-687-2163 | Fax: +1 212-983-0098 | www.religionsforpeace.org