Abuja (Fides Service) - A call to intensify inter-religious dialogue at all levels throughout the country to prevent manipulation of religion has been launched by the YCSA Young Christian Students Association in Nigeria. After an executive YCSA meeting on December 16 a statement was issued to all diocesan presidents and student members with a request to diffuse and implement the message as widely as possible. The statement, signed by YCSA national president, Oge Ndupu, national secretary Iphy Okereke and national chaplain Mgr Hypolite Adigwe, who is also national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Nigeria, affirms the importance of the apostolate of inter-religious dialogue vowing commitment in this field "especially by reaching out to Muslim students in our midst". Recalling the recent national crisis over the Miss World Contest which resulted in serious anti-Christian riots, violence not supported by the "well-meaning Muslims in this country" the statement says: "We must intensify dialogue with our brothers and sisters of the Muslim religion so as to seek together ways of preventing any further manipulation of religion for selfish political motives." See statement >>. (Fides Service 18/12/2002)