Promoting Peaceful Coexistence and Common Citizenship

[ iv ] The Board of Directors “How necessary peace and reconciliation are today in our world that is so in need of promoting a culture of dialogue and inclu- sivism, respectful of every person” HE Bishop Miguel Ayuso Titular Bishop of Luperciana, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue “My experience has enhanced my conviction that centres of dialogue and conferences for peaceful coexistence are undoubtedly a necessity in our times” Dr. Hamad Al-Majed Faculty Member, Imam Muhammad Bin Saud University “Mahatma Ghandi reminded us that every big step towards change need not be a loud, violent revolution” Dr. Kezevino Aram President, Shanti Ashram “We are not here as masters, but to listen to one another; to listen to the experiences that everybody can bring” HE Metropolitan Emmanuel Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople “One should understand that incursion offers a single illusion of stability but is destructive to true and eternal stability” The Reverend Kosho Niwano President-Designate Rissho Kosei-Kai “Correctly established relations between state and religion are basic terms of a suc- cessful multicultural and tolerant society” Sheikh Ul-IslamA. Pashazade Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims’ Board, and Sheikh Ul-Islam of Caucasus “Dialogue must never be dismissed as just talk, for the talk is the encounter, is the knowledge, is the overcoming of misunderstanding, misrepresentation and hostility.” Chief Rabbi David Rosen International Director of Interreligious Affairs, American Jewish Committee “Bridge-building is daily, continuous work. It is not something that can ever be fully accomplished. The beauty of it is that it is a bridge between the hearts, minds and souls of people of different cultures and of different religions; a bridge that can be felt but not seen” Dr. Mohammad Sammak Secretary-General of the National Com- mittee for Christian-MuslimDialogue “Interpretation of scripture is still the bat- tleground for all of us. If we deny others the identity in faith that they claim, then we push them to the margins” The Reverend Mark Poulson Secretary for Interreligious Affairs to the Archbishop of Canterbury and National Interreligious Affairs Adviser for the Church of England