October 2009

Rissho Kosei-kai Representative Attends Interfaith Conference in Geneva

An international conference on dialogue was held in Geneva September 30 to October 1, as part of a series of gatherings called the World Conference on Dialogue, sponsored by the Muslim World League (MWL), one of the largest Islamic nongovernmental organizations, based in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The gatherings aim to develop a culture of dialogue among followers of different faiths to promote human welfare and world peace. Rissho Kosei-kai was represented by Rev. Keiichi Akagawa, the head of its External Affairs Group (Interfaith), on behalf of President Nichiko Niwano. Some 130 religious leaders and scholars from Islamic, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Shinto, and Hindu communities around the world participated.

The conference was sponsored by the MWL on the initiative of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. In 2008, the MWL invited the participation of leaders of world religions, including President Niwano, to the conference in Madrid. In July of this year it also organized an international meeting in Vienna as the first forum to follow up the Madrid conference. In Vienna Rev. Akagawa also represented President Niwano.

At the opening ceremony on September 30, Ms. Muriel Berset, councilor of the Swiss Delegation at the UN's European Headquarters in Geneva; the Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, general secretary of the World Council of Churches; and Dr. Abdullah Bin Abdulmohsin Al-Turki, the MWL's secretary-general, gave opening addresses. In his speech, Rev. Dr. Al-Turki emphasized the importance of organizing this kind of dialogue pursued at the conference and expressed his hope that the dialogue forums would deepen understanding among the followers of different religions and promote goodwill within the human family.

During the two-day gathering, sessions were organized to address six themes, which included "The Media and Its Role Promoting Dialogue and Human Values," "The Initiative and the Scope of Coexistence among Civilizations," and "Religious Values and Their Impact in Reforming Societies." At one session, whose theme was "Dialogue, Man and Society." Rev. Akagawa read out a message from President Niwano expressing hope that further MWL-sponsored dialogue would guide religious communities around the world for the common good.

At the closing session the participants adopted a final statement, which includes support for the establishment of an international dialogue center to implement more programs promoting social harmony and to urge media around the world to help propagate a culture of dialogue.

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