EKD Press Releases
International representatives of religions set up dialogue with UNESCO
EKD's Bishop for Foreign Affairs welcomes the initiative
July 24, 2009
At the invitation of Patriarch Kyrill of the Russian Orthodox Church, representatives of Christianity, Judaism and Islam met this week in Moscow with UNESCO Director General Koichiro Matsuura and discussed dialogue between the religious communities and the United Nations. Martin Schindehütte, Bishop for Foreign Affairs, who attended on behalf of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), reported at the conclusion of the meeting that it had been decided to set up a working group of high-ranking representatives of world religions that will be recognized by UNESCO as a cooperating partner and adviser. A small secretariat for the working group is to be set up in Paris to make preparations for the annual meeting of the representatives of the religions and serve as a permanent liaison office with UNESCO and the United Nations.
In their concluding statement, participants stressed the importance of UNESCO for intercultural and interreligious dialogue and declared their support for the efforts of Koichiro Matsuura to provide an institutional framework for the dialogue between UNESCO and the religious communities.
Martin Schindehütte said at the meeting in Moscow on July 22 that the shared concern of the world religions could be summed up in the word "peace." Christians, he said, feel a particular responsibility in this regard since they confess Christ as Lord, who declared peacemakers to be blessed. "We are convinced that peace requires respect for personal freedom as well as regard for personal responsibility. For that reason, particular attention must be paid to protecting human rights, and especially the essential respect for religious freedom as the right of churches and religious communities to have active public involvement in culture and society.
The world religions will enter into fruitful dialogue with international organizations to work for a world of mutual respect. "That is why we are grateful for this initiative, because it will provide a platform for cooperation between the religious communities and the media, the educational sector, science, civil society and political institutions, within the framework of UNESCO."
Also attending the meeting were: Sheik-ul-Islam Allahshuqur Pasha-zade, chairman of the Caucasus Muslim Board, Rabbi Arthur Schneider, president of the Appeal to Conscience Foundation (USA), Mgr Andrew Vissanu Thanya-anan, from the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and Mohammed Jamil bin Ali Khayyat, representing the World Islamic League.
Hanover, 24 July 2009
Press Office of the EKD
Silke Römhild