July 2009

Rissho Kosei-kai Representative Attends Interfaith Forum in Vienna to Follow Up on 2008 Madrid Conference

The Muslim World League, one of the largest Islamic nongovernmental organizations, held an interfaith meeting at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria, on July 13-14 as its first forum to follow up the World Conference on Dialogue gathering in Madrid in July 2008. Some 90 religious leaders of Islamic, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, and Hindu communities throughout the world participated. From Rissho Kosei-kai, Rev. Keiichi Akagawa, head of the organization's External Affairs Group (Interfaith), attended on behalf of President Nichiko Niwano.

The World Conference on Dialogue was sponsored by the Muslim World League on the initiative of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. The league invited the participation of leaders of world religions, including President Niwano. The conference adopted the Madrid Declaration, which included a number of recommendations such as rejecting theories that call for the clash of civilizations and cultures; to enhance common human values; dissemination of a culture of tolerance and understanding through dialogue; and agreeing on international guidelines for dialogue among people of various religions and cultures.

The two-day interfaith gathering in Vienna aimed to promote better understanding of the conclusions reached in Madrid and to organize joint action to contribute to societies linked by justice and cooperation. It was also convened as a preparatory meeting for the next World Conference on Dialogue, to be held later this year in Switzerland.

At the opening session, Dr. Abdullah Mohen Al-Turki, secretary-general of the Muslim World League, gave the opening address. Msgr. Khaled Akashed, secretary of the Vatican's Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims, read out a message from Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, of which the commission is a part.

During the meeting, Rev. Akagawa attended a workshop on religious freedom and spoke about Rissho Kosei-kai's international peace activities in the spirit of the One Vehicle, based on the teachings of the Lotus Sutra.

At the plenary session of the final day, the participants adopted the chairman's statement, which urged the establishment of an international institute for the promotion of interfaith dialogue.

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