Pune (Fides) - Discovering the "seeds of the Word" in Buddhism, Hinduism Islam, Jainism and Sikhism, was the aim of a group of Catholics, clergy, religious and laity, from all over India and other countries in Asia who attended a two week course on inter-religious dialogue Nov. 27- Dec. 7) in Pune, about 1,415 km south of New Delhi. The event was held at the Ishvani Kendra Centre run by the Divine Word Society SVD, whose missionaries were the organisers. The Centre conducts faith formation programmes all the year long but began running an annual dialogue course four years ago "to broaden the understanding of our mission today" Fr L. Stanislaus, Director of the Centre told UCA News. The 22 participants included six foreigners, 3 from Malaysia and 3 from Sri Lanka sent by their religious houses or dioceses to experience India's multi-religious situation. Pauline Lim, a 50 year old catechist from Kuala Lumpur archdiocese in Malaysia, said she learned to appreciate that religious fundamentalism is "on the rise the world over due to wrong religious teachings promoted by vested interests. No religion preaches violence and killings". St Joseph of Cluny Sister Suzanne, from India, said the course helped remove her prejudices against other religions. Previously she saw all Muslims as fundamentalists "who kill innocent people of other faiths in the name of religion". Besides listening to lectures the participants visited Hindu ashrams, houses for Hindu nuns and a Sikh temple. Fr Stanislaus is certain that "when people are more open to other religions they become effective evangelisers in a multi-religious, multi cultural and multi-lingual milieu". (Fides Service 21/12/2002)