Promoting Peaceful Coexistence and Common Citizenship

[ 2 ] — INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE FOR PEACE — our Holiness, the Secretary General, the host of this event, Eminences, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen — as representative of the Austrian government and the Secretary Gen- eral of the Austrian Foreign Ministry, it is my honour and pleasure to welcome this distinguished congregation here in Vienna to the Second High Level Meeting on Interreligious Dialogue for Peace; Promoting Peaceful Coexistence and Common Citizenship. Mr. Secretary General, I wish to thank you for organ- izing this important conference, conceived as a platform to exchange views and experiences as well as a point from which to take further action to encourage social cohesion and peaceful coexistence, based on mutual understanding and on interreligious and intercultural dialogue. This meeting is also an appropriate opportunity to celebrate the Centre’s fifth anniversary and, looking at the distinguished participants who stand for the Centre’s achievements, there is certainly reason to celebrate. KAICIID has become an important and eminent partner in dialogue for Austria and the international community alike. By establishing and supporting dialogue platforms in conflict areas, the Centre contributes to generating a better understanding among religions, religious leaders, policy- makers and representatives of international organizations. We welcome the Centre as an international organization well-established here in Vienna, thereby strengthening Aus- tria’s role as a venue for dialogue and for further international collaboration. We’re confident that by implementing the 2016–2019 Strategic Plan and further reinforcing international relations, the Centre will continue to unfold its great potential and realise the objectives enshrined in the founding agreement. Y HE Dr. Michael Linhart