Religious leaders have a vital part to play in promoting dialogue between
different cultures and societies at a time when globalization has left many
people feeling discontented, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has told an
international gathering of leaders.
In a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=4509">message to the
two-day World Summit of Religious Leaders, which concludes today in the
Azerbaijani capital, Baku, Mr. Ban said that "when we build a culture of
understanding and uphold human dignity, we build a better world."
He noted that "we live in a changing and interconnected world," where local
events can have an impact globally and international events can also have a
local impact.
"Globalization continues to transform our societies, bringing gains for many
but leaving too many others untouched and discontent. These 21st-century
facts compel us to strengthen cooperation - to expand the space for
dialogue."
The Secretary-General stressed that the entire United Nations system
supports efforts to promote dialogue between cultures and religions, adding
that the UN Alliance of Civilizations initiative has part of those efforts
since 2005.
"As religious leaders, you have an essential role to play in ensuring that
the values of equality, tolerance and mutual respect, which lie at the core
of all the world's greatest religions, are defended, promoted and used to
truly enrich our societies.
"You can encourage dialogue that respects the importance of tradition but
also embraces change. You can foster contacts and create conditions that
will lead to sustainable peace, social justice and cultural cohesion."
The World Summit of Religious Leaders was organized by the Inter-Religious
Council of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
No comments:
Post a Comment