AMERICA/UNITED STATES - For the first time S. Egidio Community’s annual International Meeting of People and Religions will be held in the United States 26 and 27 April in Washington

Saturday, 1 April 2006

Rome (Fides Service) - In October 1986 Pope John Paul II convoked in Assisi a World Day of Prayer for Peace, an unprecedented historic event which saw representatives of the world’s great religions gathered around the Pope. That event inspired an initiative which marks its 26th anniversary this year, an International Meeting of People and Religions organised by the S. Egidio Community based in Rome. These annual meetings have been held in various cities in Italy and other countries of Europe. This year the event will take place for the first time in America, at Georgetown University, Washington 26 and 27 April in collaboration with the rector of the university Prof. Jack de Gioia and presided by Cardinal Theodore Mc Carrick archbishop of Washington.
The theme for reflection - “Religion and Cultures: the Courage of Dialogue” - is of great importance in a time of terrorism and war and increasing manipulation of religious sentiment but also a time of new opportunities for world religions to grow in reciprocal knowledge and understanding. The venue, Washington D.C., capital of the United States, underlines the importance of the event.
Twelve panel discussions will focus on practical and theoretical paths to overcome the ideology of “clash” in a common effort - without confusion - to outline a plan for ‘globalisation with a human face’ : dialogue between religions today, religions and terrorism, the challenge to uproot poverty in the 21st century, religions and pluralism in democracies, culture of life and threat of world pandemics, religious freedom a right to rediscover, the role of Sacred Books to build a new humanism, secular cultures, great religious traditions and globalisation, prayer, consumerism and loss of roots. These themes will be treated in public by leading members of various world religions.
Participants will include Yona Metzger Chief Rabbi of Israel, Ahmed Al-Tayyib rector of Al-Azhar University in Cairo, many cardinals and bishops, Sunday Mbang chairman of the World Council of Methodists, Jean-Arnold de Clermont president of the Conference of European Churches and personalities of different cultural and religious worlds and the University of Georgetown, from over 30 different countries including ‘frontier’ countries such as Israel, Pakistan, and other countries of the Middle and Far East and the Mediterranean area. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 1/4/2006 - Righe 30, Parole 415)


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