At the heart of the surge of global terrorism is the conflict among religions. Faith proves a strong reason for many to turn against humanity and the world religious leaders are now trying their very best to teach the people how to maintain peace and harmony among various world religions.
The three-day conference in the violent Italian city of Naples aims to do just that. The conference is on how the multitude of regions of the world can play a major role in combating the surge of extremism and contribute positively to the sustenance of peace and security.
The conference is peopled by notable and influential religious dignitaries. Besides the Pope, the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, Yona Metzger, Ayatollah Sayed Mohammed Mousavi Bojnourdi of Iran, the ecumenical Patriarch of the Orthodox Church and Din Syamsuddin, the president of Indonesia’s Muslim Council are also present in the conference.
The Pope made the most telling statement of them at the conference organized by the Sant’ Egidio community. Condemning the use of violence in the name of religion, the Pope underlined the need for leaders of various faiths to cast their differences aside and come under a common umbrella to stop religious fanaticism and extremism. He strongly protested the use of religion as an instrument of hate.
Echoing the words of Pope Benedict Benedict XVI was the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams. He too reiterated the message of peace and harmony among the world religions. The 200-stromg audience comprised of Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Jews and Zoroastrians and the venue of the conference too was apt to the situation.
Naples has become the hotbed of crime in Italy in recent years with the city still facing regular combats between police forces and the local mafia, the Camorra. This was the first papal visit by the Pope to Naples in almost 30 years and his visit is expected to temper the almost uncontrollable mafia crime in the city.
Image Source: David Macd
Source: the Telegraph, UK
