Ahlul Bayt News Agency, The Vatican has delivered its official greetings for Muslims around the world, with an emphasis on the need for interreligious exchanges in overcoming potential conflicts among followers of different religions.
“‘Id Al-Fitr, which concludes Ramadan, presents, once again, a favorable occasion to convey to you the heartfelt wishes of serenity and joy on behalf of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue,” reads the Vatican message made available on the Vatican website.
The message said violence among followers of different religions was a pressing subject that needed settling.
“There are many causes for violence among believers of different religious traditions, including: the manipulation of the religion for political or other ends; discrimination based on ethnicity or religious identity; divisions and social tensions. Ignorance, poverty, underdevelopment are also direct or indirect sources of violence among as well as within religious communities.”
It said that the message, which was released by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, was also reflected in the results of the 2010 annual meeting of the The Joint Committee for Dialogue instituted by the Pontifical Council and al-Azhar Permanent Committee for Dialogue among the Monotheistic Religions in Cairo.
“There are important recommendations also given in the above mentioned text: to open our hearts to mutual forgiveness and reconciliation, for a peaceful and fruitful coexistence; to recognize what we have in common and to respect differences, as a basis for a culture of dialogue; to recognize and respect the dignity and the rights of each human being without any bias related to ethnicity or religious affiliation; necessity to promulgate just laws which guarantee the fundamental equality of all; to recall the importance of education towards respect, dialogue and fraternity in the various educational arenas: at home, in the school, in churches and mosques.”
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