Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Fides Service) - “The banquet of differences. Dialogue in the societies of the third millennium” is the title of an International Conference organised for 11 and 12 January by the Missiology Department of the Pontifical Urban University in Rome in collaboration with the Pontifical Councils respectively for Culture and for Interreligious Dialogue. The Conference will reflect on the multiple dynamics of encounter and dialogue increasingly present and necessary in our multi-ethnic and multi-cultural societies. In this dialogical experience the role of religions and spiritual traditions is important, and the efforts of every cultural and religious tradition to promote peace, justice and the dignity of the human person are fundamental.
The Conference will open with addresses by Cardinal Ivan Dias, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples and Cardinal Paul Poupard, President of the Pontifical Council Culture and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. The first morning session will focus on the theme “Abitare la città multietnica: cultura e pluralità” (Life in a multi-ethnic city: culture and plurality); the theme of the 2nd session in the afternoon of 11 January will be “New languages and dialogical experience”; session 3 in the morning of 12 January will focus on “Il comune patrimonio di valori religiosi”(Our common heritage of religious values); the 4th and last session will illustrate the topic “Formation to dialogue: liberty and fraternity”. The conclusions will be drawn by the Rector of the University Mgr. Ambrogio Spreafico. On the occasion of the Conference the university will also host an exhibition of artistic works on various themes: Towards the light: art and religions (Vincenzo Elefante); The other face of Iraq (Wisam Pekandi); Of bread alone (Varta Polak-Sahm) in collaboration with the Israeli Embassy to the Holy See. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 10/1/2007 - righe 16; parole 216)
