Promoting Peaceful Coexistence and Common Citizenship

[ 8 ] — INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE FOR PEACE — our Eminence, Your Excellencies, Dear Friends — I greet you all most warmly. I am truly grateful for your kind invitation to partici- pate as well as offer the opening speech at this meeting but, regretfully, I am not able to be present to do so. Nonetheless, I am pleased to address you with these words. There are many who ask: “Is interreligious dialogue really useful?” The question is not necessarily posed mali- ciously, but more with a lack of awareness. People engaged in interreligious dialogue, in some cases for many years, find themselves compelled to reply openly and directly to provide the required clarification. The theme of this meeting makes it evident that inter- religious dialogue is aimed at peacebuilding through two principal means — promoting peaceful coexistence and supporting our common citizenship. Peace, as we all know, cannot be promoted and safeguarded without commensu- rate justice. In this regard, truth, justice, love and freedom, the four pillars of peace mentioned in Pacem in Terris, the memorable encyclical letter of Saint Pope John XXIII, remain valid and relevant today. In his message for the World Day of Peace in 2003, Saint Pope John Paul II made Y HE Bishop Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot high-ranking Jewish, Muslim, and Christian religious leaders from Israel and Palestine met to engage in dialogue at the event.They adopted the Alicante Declaration calling for peace and moderation and agreed to create a standing committee. Spain also hosted the International Conference on the Victims of Ethnic and Religious Violence in the Middle East, co-chaired by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Spain and Jordan. The conference presented the Madrid Priorities for Action, comprising the principal issues that must be addressed in order to strengthen populations and facilitate their return, to maintain diversity and foster reconciliation, to protect cultural heritage, and to fight impunity. Finally, I would like to emphasise that the promotion of tolerance and common understanding is a common endeavour. An endeavour of governments, international organizations, policymakers, religious leaders, young people, women, foundations, universities, and community leaders. Common cooperation is the only path to success. HE Belén Alfaro Ambassador at large for the Alliance of Civilizations and for Interreligious Dialogue In 2011, Ambassador Alfaro was appointed Ambassador at large for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and for Interreligious Dialogue at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Spain. Previously she was Minister Counsellor to the United Nations at the Mission of Spain. Other diplomatic posts include Counsellor at the Permanent Representation of Spain to the EU in Brussels; Deputy Head of Mission for Spain to Pakistan and Afghanistan; Senior Counsellor in the Cabinet of the Secretary of State for the EU; and Counsellor for Mediterranean affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Spain. She received a master’s degree in Law fromMadrid Complutense University, a Certificate in Finance from New York University, a Diploma in Technical Financial Analysis from IEB and a Diploma of Antiquarian and Expert in Art Masterpieces from CREPAC in Brussels. Speech given on behalf of HE Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue