Thursday, 10 April 2008

Cambodia hosts first interfaith conference

CN Cath News
April 10, 2008

Australian delegates including Federal Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance, Bob McMullan, joined 200 participants at an intergovernment conference on interfaith cooperation for peace and harmony in Phnom Penh last week.

The Fourth International Dialogue on Interfaith Cooperation for Peace and Harmony which involved 15 countries from Asia and the Pacific adopted an Action Plan to promote regional grassroots initiatives in education, conflict resolution and promotion of interfaith understanding, a media release from Australian delegate Sr Trish Madigan OP reports.

According to Sr Madigan, "Cambodia’s role in hosting the conference was significant since it was the first time the conference had taken place in a Buddhist country.

Opening the conference Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen emphasised the need for religious tolerance and criticised the practice of stereotyping entire religious groups because of the actions of a few.

"Crime is crime," he said, "It should not be labelled as religious."

Although Cambodia is more than 95 percent Buddhist, local Catholics were well represented, Sr Madigan says.

"Thirty Catholics attended the opening ceremony. They included 22 laypeople, four priests, two bishops and two nuns from the various provinces of Cambodia."

Kompong Thom Catholic Sem Kit said he expected the meeting would "help all religious understand each other better."

Mr Bob McMullan, representing the Australian government, noted that "all great religions of the world share common perspective on respecting human dignity, on what is right and wrong, and what is fair and just".

Therefore they have an important role in speaking up for shared values and common objectives and working to create a harmonious society, Mr McMullan said
"Governments can and should only do so much. Success or failure rests with community leaders," he said.

Australian delegates at the Dialogue were:
Dr Ameer Ali (Muslim), Dr Appupillay Balasubramaniam (Hindu Council), Rev John Baldock (Anglican), Rev Glenda Blakefield (Uniting), Ven Bhikku Brahmavamso (Buddhist), Sr Giovanni Farquer rsj (Catholic), Rev John Henderson (NCCA), Ms Zuleyha Keskin (Muslim), Rabbi Aviva Kipen (Jewish), Sr Trish Madigan op (Catholic), Mr Ikebal Patel (AFIC), and Prof Swee-Hin Toh (Griffith Multifaith Centre).

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