EUROPE/GERMANY - RELIGIONS AND CULTURE IN DIALOGUE TO BUILD PEACE: 500 RELIGIOUS LEADERS FROM ALL OVER THE GATHER IN THE HEART OF EUROPE FOR A “PEOPLES AND RELIGIONS” MEETING

Tuesday, 2 September 2003

Rome (Fides Service) - “Between war and peace: religions and cultures meet” is the theme of the “17th International Meeting of Peoples and Religions”, 7 - 9 September Aachen, Germany, promoted by the S. Egidio Community and the diocese of Aachen. The Meeting, which, as the organisers say, will take place in the heart of Europe and focus on the new Europe, while the final draft of Europe’s new Constitution is being approved and its identity and international role clarified.
Over 500 leaders of the great world religions coming from 50 countries, in the wake of the historical world Day of Prayer for Peace convoked by Pope John Paul II in Assisi in 1986, will attend this event to respond to the main challenges of the new century . Themes for discussion at over 30 Forums include: Europe and its future; Religions and the environment; Prayer, the root of peace; believers and non believers: encounter and differences; Catholics and Orthodox: the Challenge of Ecumenism; Asia: religions for peace; Religions in Africa; Muslims and Christians: how to live together; What is the Heritage of the Martyrs of the 21st century.
Among those present Secretary General of French-speaking organisations Abdou Diouf; Ahmad At-Tayyib, Grand Mufti of Egypt; Israel Meir Lau Ex Chief Rabbi of Israel, more than 15 Catholic Cardinals Patriarchs, representatives of all the Orthodox Churches (including a delegation of the Patriarchate of Moscow led by Metropolita Kirill), Konrad Raiser Secretary General of the World Council of Churches, General Secretary of the World Muslim League, representatives and personalities of Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Scintoism, ministers of state, intellectuals and authors from different countries. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 2/9/2003 – lines 21, words 288)


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