Thaindian News

By Vishnu Makhijani
Astana, July 2 (IANS) The curtain came down Thursday evening on a two-day global faith meet, with its host Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev expressing confidence it would promote a dialogue between civilisations and religions.

“I am confident that the third Congress (of World and Traditional Religions) will play an important conceptual and practical role in the promotion of dialogue among civilisations, cultures and religions,” Nazarbayev said.

“Our forum is one of the sources of light that would help us find the right way to accord among peoples,” the Kazakh president said, adding: “We do not say goodbye, we say see you again in the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana (in three years).”

Noting that “our common goal is to build a more secure, stable and just world of mutual responsibility, interaction and cooperation of peoples”, Nazarbayev said “the discussions at the Congress have demonstrated, once again, the willingness and serious interest of all the spiritual leaders to develop the dialogue”.

With the current situation on the planet being “complicated and contradictory” with “sad” news of “new victims of terrorism, wars and conflicts rooted in henophobia and religious intolerance”, the president said the “common concern” was for “the fate of our diverse planet and the search for ways of enhancing accord and mutual understanding between countries and nations and representatives of different religions.”

Over the past two days, 184 delegates from across the globe - including 146 spiritual leaders representing eight major religions and 38 honorary guests - debated a variety of topics that included “The role of religious leaders in construction of the world based on tolerance, mutual respect and cooperation”, “Moral and cultural wealth, world ethics”, “Dialogue and cooperation” and “Solidarity, especially in crises”.

The Congress also appealed to politicians and civil society around the world to “counteract” the manipulation of religions or religious differences for political ends to preserve the unity of society.

“Politicians, public figures, scientists, the mass media and the global community should demonstrate greater moral and spiritual strength and genuine solidarity in pursuing just solutions to the economic, financial, social and environmental problems plaguing the globalised world,” said the appeal issued Wednesday.

Observers said the language of the appeal was significant as it amounted to a call for action against Muslim fundamentalist groups that are spreading terror in various parts of the world.

The eight religions represented at the Congress were Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Sintoism, Taoism, Hinduism and Zoroastrianism.

Thirty-eight honorary guests, including Israeli President Shimon Peres, were also invited to the conclave.