Brussels, 14/01/2008 (Agence Europe) - As part of the year of intercultural dialogue 2008, on Thursday 10 January, the EPP-ED group in the European Parliament held a public hearing on cultural diversity and inter-religious dialogue, bringing together experts and members of various religious and secular communities. Under the chairmanship of Luxemburg MEP Erna Hennicot-Schoepges, two main issues were discussed: respect for common European values, on the one hand, and the particular importance of religious pluralism in Europe, on the other.
The European Union, pluralist and diverse, has long been conspicuous by its ability to explore the world of intellectual values. It has also, however, in the course of its history, suffered from excesses carries out in the name of religion and remains, today more than ever, the target of extremists, said EPP-ED group Deputy Leader Gunnar Hökmark, opening the seminar. European Education and Training, Culture and Youth Commissioner Ján Figel' said that discussion on religion and culture was delicate and sensitive, but nevertheless necessary. The gradual enlargement of the European Union, which was initially built on economic foundations, to create a free trade area, had also brought about a very special cultural and religious diversity. Today this change required European citizens to deepen the dialogue and reflect on the fundamental values that unite them, values of peace, tolerance, freedom and openness towards other. Inter-religious dialogue held a massively important place in this exchange, the commissioner added, and he expressed his hope that a genuine intercultural society would emerge, not simply a multicultural society where the various communities live parallel lives. Bringing people together was a more difficult thing to do than forging economic alliances, he stated. The events organised for the year of intercultural dialogue would highlight openness towards others through the arts and culture, and also in other important areas, such as education, the media and religion, Figel' said. Mr Edmond Israel, a major figure in the Luxemburg financial world and a member of the Board of Governors of the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) called on Christianity, Judaism and Islam, the three major monotheistic religions, to engage in dialogue, a dialogue based on the greatest respect one for the other and with no moralising undertones. It was, Israel said, precisely the lack of respect for the other that encouraged terrorism. He hoped that, in the future, there would develop a new global awareness which would bring with it more responsible behaviour and great solidarity among mankind. Young people, of course, had to be involved in this process. Mr Bekir Alboga, Islamic coordination in Germany, condemned the actions of extremist groups which used religion to anti-democratic propagandist ends. Their fight had nothing to do with religion, and sought political destabilisation, and, he said, it was difficult, in such conditions, to see the message of tolerance contained in the Q'ran. “In the name of our religion, innocent people are being killed. The interpretation of Islam which includes the notion of freedom, has been rejected,” he said. He went on, “There is much in common between Islam, Christianity and Judaism,” and these common bases should be used to create positive dialogue between communities. Moslems who live in Europe were aware of the fears caused by the teaching of the Q'ran to the very youngest, but it was the very teaching of the true values of the Q'ran to children that would mean that they did not follow the path of extremism, Algoga said, noting that moderate Muslims were themselves among the major targets of Al-Quaida. “We hope our call for dialogue will be heard,” was his wish.
Cultural exchange can only take place if there is a real desire to engage in dialogue, speakers agreed in conclusion. The European Union had a particular role in this process: to make available the means, including financial, needed to facilitate greater mobility and exchange of knowledge between citizens of the EU and elsewhere. Europe should also offer a platform to link existing intercultural exchange networks instead of creating new bodies, committees and agencies. The aim of all these measures should be the continuous promotion of intercultural dialogue without any national interference. “If people are to learn to live together better, then, in my opinion, there has to be a religious dimension. For that, the concept of loving your neighbour provides an appropriate starting point because, unlike pure individualism or secularism, dialogue between people is a particular privilege of religions,” said Hennicot-Schoepges, concluding the event. (I.L.)