“New challenges in a world longing for peace” - International Congress on Intercultural and Interreligious dialogue
11th – 13th december 2005, Palacio Euskalduna. Bilbao. Basque Country (Spain)
Presentation
Dialogue between cultures and religions has become one of the main pillars of modern cultures, and one of the ways we judge the maturity of today’s religious traditions. Having recourse to dialogue only as an emergency measure, when conflicts and dramatic events have made both cohabitation and understanding much more tense, only adds to the difficulties inherent in already very complex situations. For this reason, more and more of these types of meetings are held every day, giving people an opportunity to share thoughts and exchange ideas, opening up new channels of understanding and collaboration.
The organisation of this conference is a display of confidence in the power of communicative reason. It aims to bring together different lines of thought and action, and sit experts and stakeholders down at the same table, with a full awareness of the magnitude of the work to be carried out.
One of the basic aims of this meeting is to raise awareness among as much of the population as possible regarding the challenges which need to be faced in order to create, strengthen and maintain a culture of peace, with the positive contribution of peaceful religions creatively committed to peace-seeking initiatives.
The conference is targeted at all those who have dedicated, or are willing to dedicate their lives to intellectual, social, political and religious commitment, aimed at exploring human cohabitation in all its complexity. It is also aimed at those who want to be stimulated by programmes of action that will enable them to overcome the obstacles that have long deadlocked collective situations paralysed by ancestral prejudices, banal interests and sterile attitudes.
General aspects of the Congress
Organisers: Barandiaran Kristau Alkartea – Pax Romana (International Catholic Movement for Intellectual and Cultural Affairs) in collaboration with UNESCO Etxea- UNESCO Centre Basque Country
Patrons: UNESCO, World Council of Churches, World Jewish Congress.
Collaborators: Club of Rome, Royal Institute of Interfaith Studies, (Founded by Prince Hassan of Jordan, President of the Club of Rome), World Council on Religion and Peace (WCRP), Institute for the World Religions (Harvard University), The Parliament of Religions.
Sponsors: Abaroa Ecotec, Asesoría Torrealday, Ayuntamiento de Bilbao, Bilbao Bizkaia Kutxa; Caja Laboral, Diputación Foral de Bizkaia, Gobierno Vasco, Grupo Arteche, Grupo Fineco, Iberdrola, Iparlat, Lagun Aro , Ondoan, Petronor, Servisistem.
Advisory Committee of experts
- Mr. Michel Cardon, Member of the World Conference on Religion and Peace
- Br. Edmund Chia, Professor of Inter-religious Dialogue at Catholic Theological Union (Chicago)
- Mr. Doudou Diène, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and connected forms of intolerance for the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
- Ms. Rosa Maria Guerreiro, Specialist of the Inter-religious Dialogue Programme, Intercultural Division of UNESCO
- Mr Ahmad Jalali, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Iran to UNESCO and President of the UNESCO General Conference 2001-2003
- Fr. Thomas Michel, SJ, Advisor to the Preposit General
- Mr. Giandomenico Picco, Personal Representative of the Secretary General for the United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations.
- Mr Onno Seroo, Coordinator of Programmes at the UNESCOcat, UNESCO Centre of Catalunya.
- Dr. Maram Stern, Deputy Secretary General, World Jewish Congress.
- Lama Denis Tendroup, spiritual director of the Congrégation Dachang Rimay of Karma Ling (Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism)
- Rev Dr. Hans Ucko, Programme Secretary for Interreligious Dialogue, World Council of Churches.
- Rev. Jose Luís Villacorta, Professor of History of Religions, Deusto University.
Congress Secretariat
Haretxa. Asociación para el Diálogo interreligioso
Alda. San Mamés, 43 bis – 8º
E- 48010 Bilbao
Tel. +34 94 410 00 52
E-mail: congreso@bkamiic.org
www.icii-bilbao.org
