Rome, 15 December 2016, Italian Senate
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean meeting on “Dialogue in the encounter between cultures and religions: the role of politics and education” took place on 15 December 2016 in Rome, hosted by the Italian Senate, within the framework of the activities of the PAM 3rd Standing Committee of on the Dialogue of Civilizations and Human Rights, chaired by Sen. Emma Fattorini.
The meeting brought together national parliamentary delegations to PAM, representatives of international parliaments, regional organizations and other eminent personalities, including religious leaders and representatives of the PAM Academic platform.
Mr. Vicente Garcés Ramón, President of the Assembly of Citizens and Citizens of the Mediterranean, recalled that he was a parliamentarian before, and stressed the difficult period that the Mediterranean is facing. He emphasized the role of citizens in constructing the counter-powers of existing powers, provided that they are educated to tolerance and diversity, which is the primary responsibility of the political power. He concluded by inviting MPs to help strengthen civil society to build Mediterranean citizenship.
Key roles for the future
Participants engaged in the general discussions on the main challenges of interreligious and intercultural dialogue in the Euro-Mediterranean region. They offered substantive contributions and shared best practises and national experiences about intercultural and inter-religious dialogue.
There repport on the growing importance of intercultural and interreligious dialogue as powerful tools for achieving stability and peace, fighting against intolerance and extremism, while upholding the values of peaceful coexistence and mutual understanding. Moreover, participants acknowledged the need to place intercultural and interreligious dialogues as a central objective in a renewed multilateral political approach required in the Mediterranean.
Common values, such as the fundamental rights of democracy, the rule of law and the recognition of human dignity have been identified as the basis for a peaceful and coexistence of people of different cultures and religions on both shores of the Mediterranean.
Participants also identified the need to implement intercultural and interreligious activities in the fields of education, youth, media, migration, peacebuilding and conflict resolution, by specifying that the programmes in these areas should include grassroots initiatives to be implemented with leaders at international, regional and local levels. Moreover, they pointed out the necessity to enhance interinstitutional cooperation in the promotion of intercultural and interreligious mutual respect and understanding.
The key role of education and training of both religious leaders and youth, as a fundamental instrument to curb the scourge of violent extremism, was highlighted. In this respect, the modernization of reflection and theological discourse, as well as of school curricula, had been strongly reiterated.
Participants pointed out the importance of the development of youth programmes in intercultural and inter-religious institutions supporting the interaction and exchange between young people from different cultures in order to disseminate the message of pluralism and diversity. Moreover, interreligious and multicultural education was recommended for theological schools and religious education systems for them to include into their curricula interreligious dialogue and values of peace, pluralism, and civic engagement.
Moreover, the key role of religious leaders in disseminating the values of tolerance, peace and brother-hood was stressed, and the conception of a secularism that incorporates values of different faiths by recognizing their cultural and educational values, was emphasized.
