by Monsignor Khaled AKASHEH Head Officer for Islam Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue Vatican City  

Introduction

  I have the honour to bring to you the greetings of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI and his good wishes that the fruit of this meeting may be a valid contribution to harmonious conviviality among peoples of various religions and to peace in the world.   You are undoubtedly well aware of the important role and therefore great responsibility of religious leaders and scholars toward their respective communities. They have the duty to guide, to illuminate, to sustain and, sometimes, to correct erroneous interpretations of religion or certain behaviour in the name of religion. In a rapidly changing world in which communication has become so easy, the role of a religious leader has become even more important. In Christianity, the Bishops are the pastors, guides and teachers of the flock entrusted to their care. The word “bishop” comes from the Greek word “episcopos”, meaning “the one who cares” or “looks after”. It is good to know that there are places where cooperation between Christian and Muslim religious leaders exists and is active in promoting peace and harmony there. One good example of this is the “Bishops and Ulama Forum” in the Philippines. Another, which I am pleased to inform about, is a forthcoming colloquium on “Priests and Imams: Role, Formation and Cooperation” which has been organized jointly by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue in the Vatican and the World Islamic Call Society, based in Tripoli, Libya. “Nahda” refers to renewal, revival, getting up, waking up. This word describes well the great event in the history of the Church in the twentieth century: the Second Vatican Council (1963-1965). It caused the Church to reflect on itself and on its mission in the world, taking into consideration the great changes that had happened. The Bishops of the world reconciled faithfulness to the tradition of the Church with openness to what Blessed Pope John XXIII called “the signs of the times”. The confrontation of the Church with modernity has not been easy, but it was necessary, and has finally proved fruitful. One of the important documents of the Second Vatican Council is the one entitled “Nostra Aetate” – meaning “our present times” – (28 October 1965) which deals with the relation of the Church with other religions. The Secretariat for non Christians, now Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, was instituted by the 19^th May 1964 by Pope Paul VI in order to look after the relations of the Church with people of other religions and thus can be considered as one of the fruits of the Council.   I intend to speak to you briefly about what the Catholic Church understands by interreligious dialogue and what it understands by peace. Then I shall explain how the Catholic Church sees dialogue as a fundamental prerequisite for the building of peace.   1.      Interreligious dialogue 1.1.   What interreligious dialogue is not   Perhaps it is easiest to start with a list of the things that interreligious dialogue is not.   Dialogue is not a negotiation between persons of different religions. Faith and religious dogmas are not negotiable.   Dialogue is not a compromise. Those who think it like this should not take part in it.   Dialogue is also different from challenging: it should give occasion for witnessing to one’s faith, not for challenging that of the other. A person can be proud of his or her faith, but never haughty or arrogant because of it. This goes against the true spirit of any religion.   Dialogue is not an intellectual exercise, though it requires intellectual preparation and intellectual instruments. Dialogue is not reserved for an elite, though, unfortunately, much of time it seems like that. Perhaps one of the greatest challenges facing dialogue, in fact, is to transform it from an elite activity to a reality exercised by every person.   Dialogue is not a privilege for a particular religion or country. It is not only for the rich.   Dialogue is not, as some would have it, an activity with a hidden agenda. It is not and should not be a means for mission or da‘wa. Dialogue, therefore, does not aim at the conversion of the other, although it can be an occasion for conversion. Religious liberty, then, should be respected by all parties in dialogue.   Dialogue is not a one way exercise; it is not just speaking, it is not preaching. Dialogue is not only hearing the other. Dialogue is not an affair for the deaf! Dialogue is not a luxury. Dialogue is not an optional extra. What, then, is dialogue?   1.2.   What interreligious dialogue is   With these things in mind we can, perhaps, begin to define more clearly what interreligious dialogue is.   According to Dialogue and Proclamation (DA), a joint Document of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (19 May 1991), “in the context of religious plurality, dialogue means ‘all positive and constructive interreligious relations with individuals and communities of other faiths which are directed at mutual understanding and enrichment’, in obedience to truth and respect for freedom. It inc1udes both witness and exploration of respective religious convictions” (DA, 9).   Looking at the general picture of the situation today as regards dialogue between Christians and Muslims or, to speak more generally, as regards the relationships between Christians and Muslims, it is first most important to understand what, exactly, is meant by “dialogue”? According to the definition given in the document Dialogue and Proclamation: “in the context of religious pluralism, dialogue means having positive and constructive interreligious relations, with individuals and communities of other faiths for mutual understanding and reciprocal enrichment, in obedience to the truth and with respect for liberty” (N. 3).   What is important to note here is that dialogue is not limited to the spoken word – it involves “all positive and constructive interreligious relations”. There can be and should be a “dialogue of life” and a “dialogue of works of mercy” (John Paul II to the Bishops of Chad, Rome, 27 June 1994).   The social doctrine of the Church is, in fact, characterised by a constant call to dialogue among all members of the world’s religions so that together they will be able to seek the most appropriate forms of co-operation. The Church continues to invite believers of other religions to dialogue and encourage everywhere effective witness to those values shared by the entire human family (cf. Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, N. 537)   Cardinal Francis Arinze, former President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue from 1984 to 2002, defined it as “the meeting of people of differing religions, in an atmosphere of freedom and openness, in order to listen to the other, to try to understand that person's religion, and hopefully to seek possibilities of collaboration” (Arinze 1997, p. 5).   Dialogue is listening with open mind and heart. Dialogue is trying to understand the reasons of the other. Dialogue is an “exodus” from oneself to the other’s world, without denying oneself. Dialogue is a particular necessity of our world, so tense and so divided. Dialogue is an expression of respect and esteem of our partners in dialogue.   Dialogue aims at encouraging mutual understanding between believers and reciprocal enrichment, the establishing of truthful and fraternal relations, conviviality in a spirit of openness and collaboration, in order to build together a common house.     2. Peace   What do we mean by “peace” What sort of peace are we searching for? Again I will start with a list of the things that peace is not.           2.1. What peace is not   Gaudium et Spes, The Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (7 December 1965), of the Second Vatican Council, in N. 78, presents the Catholic understanding of Peace:   “Peace is much more than the absence of war”. Peace is not the mere maintaining of an equilibrium between strength and fear and “cannot be reduced to the maintenance of a balance of power between opposing forces”.   Peace does not “out of a despotic dominion”. Peace is much more than this and “will never be achieved once and for all, but must be built continually”.     2.2. What peace is:   The above mentioned document (N. 78) affirms that peace is, as the Prophet Isaiah asserts, “the effect of righteousness” (Is 32, 17).   Peace “is the fruit of that right ordering of things with which the divine founder has invested human society and which must be actualised by man thirsting after an ever more perfect reign of justice”.   Peace is also “the fruit of love, for love goes beyond what justice can ensure”.   Peace, because it depends concretely upon circumstances in constant change, “will never be achieved once and for all, but must be built up continually, and its achievement “requires constant effort to control the passions and unceasing vigilance by lawful authority”.   The safeguard of welfare of human beings and the free and trustful sharing with one another riches of human mind and their talents is an important condition of peace. Another condition which is absolutely necessary for peace is “a firm determination to respect the dignity of other men and peoples along with the deliberate practice of fraternal love”.  

 

 

2.3. The Pillars of Peace

  Peace depends upon certain things which support, like pillars, and without which it will collapse. The first four of these pillars derive from the 1963 Encyclical Letter of Pope John XXIII, Pacem in Terris (meaning Peace in the World), and these are truth; justice; love; and liberty. It has been mentioned before that these peace pillars have been the object of a colloquium, jointly organized the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and its Iranian partners.   The first pillar is that of truth, because truth includes recognition of the fact that man is not his own master, but is called to carry out the will of God, Creator of All and Absolute Truth. Truth also implies sincerity in human relationships. Sincerity is essential for reciprocal trust and fruitful dialogue which is the beginning of the road to peace. Truth leads each individual and group to recognise not only their rights, but also their duties towards others.   The second pillar is justice which includes respect for the inalienable dignity and rights of every individual. When justice is lacking, whether in personal, national or international relations, the result is much restlessness and agitation which leads inevitably to violence. Evidence for this is not difficult to find: the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to claim victims, provoke destruction and sow hatred, continually feeding the vicious cycle of violence. A just solution to this conflict would bring peace not only to the Middle East, but to the whole world.   The third pillar, which is love, tempers justice. As the old Latin adage puts it, “Summum ius, summa injuria” (the maximum of justice is the maximum of injustice). It is through love that we recognise that we belong to a single human family, and therefore that we are all brothers and sisters. If we recognise the existence of particular ties which are shared by our respective faiths, we cannot be diffident or exclusive towards those who do not belong to our own religious group. For this reason it is most important that eventual texts of our respective religions which speak of separateness and exclusivity are seen only within the context of their social and political history, and presented in ways which are reconcilable with the religious pluralism which characterises our own times. Only in this way can peace be constructed. Love then allows us to share the grieves and joys which have been the lot of the other, and to be as sensitive to the needs of others as if they were our own. This empathy brings us to be able to share not only our material goods, but also our intellectual and spiritual treasures with others. Love is indulgent towards the weaknesses of others and disposed towards forgiveness. Forgiveness is essential to the re-establishment of peace after a conflict, because only forgiveness opens the way to the possibility of beginning again, anew.   Truth, justice and love all presuppose the fourth pillar, which is liberty, an essential characteristic of being human. It is this liberty which allows an individual to act as he sees fit, according to his own reasoning, and to take full responsibility for his own actions, since each of us is individually responsible to God for our own contribution to society.   To these four pillars of peace of Pope John XXIII one could add a fifth, prayer. As human beings we are weak when it comes to trying to live up to these ideals and we need the help of God, which we can humbly beg in prayer. As Pope John Paul II said on the occasion of the World Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi on 24 January 2002, “If peace is the gift of God and finds its source in Him, where else can it be found and how else can it be built, if not in a deep and intimate relationship with Him? Above everything else, the building of peace in order, justice and liberty requires a deep commitment to prayer, which is an opening, listening, dialogue and ultimately union with God, the first source of true peace” (Discourse, 24 January 2002).     3. Peace through dialogue   The question to which we, as religious leaders and intellectuals engaged in interreligious dialogue are called to reply is: Does interreligious dialogue, and, in a more general way, religions, have a role to play in building peace in the world? Some, indeed, affirm that religions have been, and still are, causes of tensions and even of wars and, consequently, putting aside religions, can lessen tensions and preserve peace.   3.1. Pope John Paul II and interreligious dialogue for peace   For believers, on the contrary, religions and peace go together. Believers of all religions firmly believe that religions have spiritual resources for peace. It is out of this belief that the late Pope John Paul II, of blessed memory, invited leaders of all major religions to Assisi, the city of Saint Francis, pioneer of dialogue and man of peace, to pray for peace. These Days of Prayer for World Peace remain firmly etched on the mind. For the first, held on 27 October 1986, the Holy Father invited religious leaders to come to the town of St Francis to pray for the peace of the world. On 9-10 January 1993 the Pope called religious leaders to Assisi again to pray for peace in Europe, specially in the Balkans. In January 2002, after the tragic events of 11 September 2001, and so that terrorism would not have the last word, the frail and ailing Pope, together with the world’s religious leaders, climbed aboard the “peace train” which took them once more to Assisi to pray together for the peace of the world. On this occasion the participants drew up the “Assisi Decalogue for Peace” which the Pope then sent to all Heads of State and governments on 24 February 2002. Among the initiatives of John Paul II most appreciated by Muslims was that of inviting Catholics to participate in a day of prayer and fasting for peace in Iraq on 29 November 2001, the day which also marked the last Friday of Ramadan.   Religious leaders today, therefore, must clearly show that they are pledged to promote peace precisely because of their religious belief. Religion is not, and must not become, a pretext for conflict. This is particularly important in areas of the world where religious, cultural and ethnic identity coincide. Religion and peace go together – to wage war in the name of religion is a contradiction. The II Vatican Council earnestly urges all Christians “to speak the truth in love (cf. Ephesians 4, 15) and join with all peace-loving men in pleading for peace and trying to bring it about” (Gaudium et Spes, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, 7 December 1965, N. 78).    

3.2. Pope Benedict XVI and interreligious dialogue, with particular reference to that with Muslims

  I am particularly pleased to briefly inform you on the firm engagement of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI in interreligious dialogue in general and in dialogue with Muslims in particular.   In his first message from the Sistine Chapel the day following his election to the Throne of Peter, on 20 April 2005, the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, reaffirmed the Church’s desire to continue to promote open and genuine dialogue with all people, including those who belong to other religions, so as to seek the true good of every individual and society.   Many Muslim leaders attended the Mass for the beginning of the new Pontificate on 24 April 2005. The following day, receiving them together with the other delegations, the Pope gave a reassurance that “the Church wants to continue to build bridges of friendship with the followers of all religions, with a view to seeking the genuine well-being of every individual and society together”. To the Muslims in particular the Pope expressed his joy at seeing the progress made by dialogue at regional and global levels. During his visit to Cologne for World Youth Day on 20 August 2005, the Pope asked to meet representatives of the Muslim community of Germany. He referred to them as “Dear friends”, and “Dear and esteemed Muslim friends”, expressing his “great joy” at the encounter.   The speech made by the Holy Father on this occasion reiterated the great importance which he gives to relations with Muslims and to which I will refer again later.   In a recent letter to the President of the Italian Senate, Benedict XVI called for a “positive secularity”, that is one in which there is no kind of hostility between religion and the state. This “positive secularity” would guarantee “to each citizen the right to live his own religious faith with genuine freedom, including in the public realm”. The defence by Pope Benedict XVI of a positive secularity is an important contribution to social peace and to interreligious dialogue.   As this gathering of religious leaders and scholars is mainly concerned with dialogue between Muslims and Christians, I would like to give you some information about the activities of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue in promoting good relations between the two communities.  

3.3. Activities of the P.C.I.D. in the service of Muslim-Christian dialogue

  The activities of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (P.C.I.D.) are directed, above all, towards the promotion of interreligious dialogue in general, in both its theoretical and practical aspects. As far as dialogue with individual religious traditions is concerned – with the exception of Judaism, which is served by the Commission for religious relations with Jews in the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity – one major area of the work of the P.C.I.D., also quantitatively, is concerned with dialogue with Muslims.

3.3.1. The Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims

The Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims (C.R.R.M.) was set up within the P.C.I.D. in 1974 by Pope Paul VI, distinct but analogous to the Commission for Religious Relations with Judaism, set up within the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, to underline the special consideration reserved to Jews and Muslims in virtue of certain elements of their faiths which bring them close to Christianity.   The C.R.R.M., which is composed of 3 members of the P.C.I.D. (President, Secretary and the Officer for Islam) and 8 Consulters who represent various regions of the world, aims at promoting and stimulating “religious” relations between Catholics and Muslims, and also looks for collaboration towards this end with other Christians. In practice, it is developing a rather useful role in deepening understanding of certain specific themes which are relevant to relations with Muslims, from both theoretical and practical points of view, that is, how they appear in different countries.   In recent years the Commission has studied themes such as the relationship between religion and politics in Christianity and in Islam, and prayer between Christians and Muslims. A study of a very relevant topic of today, that of “Religious liberty: a subject for Muslim-Christian dialogue”, has recently been completed. For the first time, the various contributions of the members and consulters of the Commission have been reviewed in the light of observations made by Islamic experts to whom they were presented and with whom they were discussed.

3.3.2. Other regular activities of the P.C.I.D. with Muslim institutions

The P.C.I.D. seeks to involve itself in relations with Muslim organisations in a way that will give a certain continuity, so as to favour mutual understanding and a climate of reciprocal trust, friendship and constructive collaboration. To this end, besides from time to time organising meetings on particular subjects, has reached agreement with various Islamic institutions so as to ensure the possibility of regular meetings, according to a jointly agreed programme and formalities.  

3.3.2.1. The Islamic-Catholic Liaison Committee

In 1995 an Islamic-Catholic Liaison Committee was set up by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and, on the Muslim side, the International Islamic Forum for Dialogue, which principally represents four Islamic international organisations: the Muslim World League (Rabita), the World Muslim Congress (Mu’tamar), the International Islamic Council for Da‘wa and Relief, and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (I.S.E.S.C.O.).   The Committee meets every year. Besides exchanges of information and perspectives on the state of relations between Christians and Muslims, especially in situations where there is tension or conflict, a chosen theme is presented and discussed from both Christian and Muslim points of view. Among the subjects thus studied have been: “Human Dignity in Armed Conflicts”, and “Religion and Society”. At the last meeting, which has been held in Brussels from 8-9 June 2006 the subject was “religion and environment”.

3.3.2.2. Joint Committee for Dialogue of the P.C.I.D. and al-Azhar (Cairo)

  The Joint Committee for Dialogue of the P.C.I.D. and of al-Azhar (Cairo) was set up in Rome in 1998, by the P.C.I.D. and the Permanent Committee of al-Azhar for Dialogue with Monotheistic Religions.   The Muslims have proposed that an annual meeting of the Joint Committee be organised, on 24 February each year, to commemorate the visit of Pope John Paul II, of blessed memory, to al-Azhar on that day in the year 2000. Of the subjects studied by the Joint Committee, one has been particularly significant: “the refusal to generalise with regard to religion or other community” and “the capacity for self-criticism within the history of one’s own religion”.

3.3.2.3. Co-ordinating Committee of the P.C.I.D. and the World Islamic Call Society (W.I.C.S.)

  In 2002, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the World Islamic Call Society, with its headquarters in Tripoli (Libya) set up a Co-ordinating Committee. In reality, collaboration between the P.C.I.D. and the W.I.C.S. dates back to 1976, when a Christian-Islamic colloquium was organised in Tripoli in which around 400 people participated. The W.I.C.S., as is perhaps already known, is a missionary society with an efficient organisation and considerable financial means, heavily involved in spreading Islam also by means of humanitarian aid and development projects, above all in sub-Saharan Africa, but is also present elsewhere, including European countries. The Co-ordinating Committee organises a colloquium every two years. The last one, which took place in Tripoli in March 2006, studied the subject of: “Interreligious dialogue in the service of the integral development of the individual and of society, with particular attention to the phenomenon of emigration”. The Co-ordinating Committee meets each year to organise the colloquia and to exchange information and ideas for possible collaboration, particularly in Africa.

3.3.2.4. Colloquia between the P.C.I.D. and the Organization for Culture and Islamic Relations (Iran)

  The Pontifical Council has worked together with the Organization for Culture and Islamic Relations (O.C.I.R.) since 1994, when a colloquium on “The Theological Evaluation of Modernity” was organised jointly in Teheran.   Today a colloquium is organised jointly every other year, which is held alternately in Rome and Teheran.   As said before, a colloquium on the “Pillars of Peace” has been organised in Rome in 2003 and is worth particular mention. It referred explicitly to the encyclical of Blessed Pope John XXIII, Pacem in terris.   The last colloquium, which took place in November 2005 in Teheran, was on the subject of “Human dignity with particular reference to bioethics”, and also provided interesting discussions on themes of particular relevance today which led to the realisation of some common “natural” values, such as the dignity of the individual in all phases of his or her life.  

3.3.2.5. Initiatives for regional interreligious meetings

The P.C.I.D. also organises interreligious meetings at the regional level. These offer the advantage of being able to involve, in a given area where various religions are present, all the different diocesan and national institutions who are interested, firstly in the preparation phase and later in the final realisation. The most recent Christian-Muslim meeting was for countries of South Asia, that is Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and took place in Lahore, Pakistan in December 2005. The theme was: “Muslims and Christians: witnesses to the primacy of God in the context of South Asia”. This sort of regional meeting responds in a particularly effective way to the aims and methodology of the P.C.I.D., which is to encourage, counsel, and support the local Christian communities in their commitment to developing dialogue with individuals and groups belonging to other religions.

3.3.2.6. The Message for the End of Ramadan

Each year since 1967 the P.C.I.D. has sent a message of goodwill to Muslims on the Feast of ‛Id al-Fitr, the celebration which concludes the month of fasting of Ramadan. Each year the message is centred on a particular theme, thus opening a space for reflection and dialogue between Christians and Muslims. The messages are widely diffused around the globe and give Catholics in positions of responsibility the opportunity to initiate or strengthen friendly relations with Muslims. Generally, the initiative has been warmly welcomed by Muslims as is witnessed by the growing number of direct letters of thanks in reply which often comment on the content. I cite, by way of example, some of the recent subjects recently developed in the Messages: “Christians and Muslims: Beyond Tolerance” (1996), “Christians and Muslims: Believers in God, Faithful to Man” (1997), “Christians and Muslims: Beneath the Sign of Hope” (1998), “Christians and Muslims: Witnesses of the Love and Mercy of God” (1999), “Jesus Christ for Christians and Muslims” (2000), “Education for Dialogue: a duty for both Christians and Muslims” (2001).   3.3.2.7. Foundation Nostra Aetate – Study Grants   The “Foundation Nostra Ætate - Study Grants” was set up in the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue in 1990. Its purpose is that of “helping students of other religions, who wished to learn more about Christianity in Rome at one of the Pontifical academic institutes with a view to teaching about Christianity, or undertaking some other equivalent service in the field of interreligious dialogue, in their own countries”. “In some cases, depending on the funds available”, further subsidies can be granted “for the purchase of books, help with publication, or the organisation of special courses of study”. To date about fifty people, mainly Muslims, have benefited from these study grants to undertake studies in Rome, whilst other grants have been made in order to promote dialogue initiatives in different countries most needing support. From 26 - 29 September 2005 the First International Colloquium of ex-Bursary holders of the Foundation was held in the Vatican on the theme of “Interreligious Dialogue: opportunities and challenges”. Some ex-bursary holders, having become university teachers or research students, participated actively in the meeting, contributing papers, and also took part in an International Conference organised by the Pontifical Gregorian University during the same period, and another at Georgetown University, Washington, on the occasion of the 40^th Anniversary of the Council Declaration “Nostra Aetate”.

3.4. An increasing tendency for Muslims to get organised

As I have spoken of the activities of the Pontifical Council in the service of dialogue between Christians and Muslims, it is important to note the increasing tendency for Muslims to get organised for dialogue with representatives of Christian confessions, and in particular with Catholics. It is worth mentioning in particular the two Islamic institutions for dialogue set up quite recently to which reference has already been made. The Grande Imam of al-Azhar decided to set up the Al-Azhar Permanent Committee for Dialogue with the Monotheistic Religions since this was the partner of the P.C.I.D. in the Joint Committee for Dialogue set up by the two institutions in May 1998. More recently the International Islamic Forum for Dialogue, with headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia has been set up. This organisation represents various Muslim organisations in interreligious dialogue. The Forum’s first initiative was the organisation of an international colloquium of dialogue following the events of 11 September (Cairo, 28-29 October 2001).     Conclusion: Dialogue: “a vital necessity” for our world    Dialogue is the necessary expression of the truth of our human condition as men and women, members of a single family. There are also challenges which arise from ideas and customs of our times, which affect both Muslims and Christians, and to which we are called to give a joint reply. It is the individual human, with his dignity today often ignored, who is at the base of everything. The Holy Father, speaking the Muslims in Cologne, made this very clear to us: “we must affirm the values of mutual respect, solidarity and peace …”. Only when the centrality of the person, with his dignity and the rights which flow from this, is recognised “can a common basis for understanding be found – the Pope continued – one which enable us to move beyond cultural conflicts and which neutralizes the disruptive power of ideologies”. In recalling the sad and, at times, tragic events which have, in the name of religion, marked the relations between Christians and Muslims in the past, the Pope spoke of another for dialogue: whilst these memories “should fill us with shame” –he said– “we must seek paths of reconciliation and learn to live with respect for each other’s identity”. And he added: “the defence of religious freedom, in this sense, is a permanent imperative, and respect for minorities is a clear sign of true civilization”. A further challenge comes from the prevailing dominant western culture which is impregnated with cognitive and ethical relativism and immanent secularism. In the strength of their faith, Christians and Muslims, through dialogue, can and must give witness and work together so that our societies re-open once more to the transcendental. A healthy secularism, based on the sharing of certain natural, historical and cultural values, and the rights and duties constituted by “citizenship” in which everyone, of whatever faith or none, can live together harmoniously, contributes to a better realisation of each and every citizen according to the needs of his or her own dignity as a human being. Christians, through dialogue and in a relationship of respectful friendship, can communicate to their Muslim friends their experience at this regard. In the eyes of the world, the credibility of believers, Christians and Muslims in particular, resides in our capacity to live together in harmony and together to offer our service to mankind and to society in order to render the world “more human”. Pope Benedict XVI, when recalling the duty of Christians and Muslims to face the challenges of our times together, added: “We must not yield to fear or pessimism. Rather, we must cultivate optimism and hope”. Thus, this is why, – the Holy Father concluded – “interreligious and intercultural dialogue between Christians and Muslims cannot be reduced to an optional extra. It is, in fact, a vital necessity, on which in large measure our future depends”. We thank Almighty God for bringing us together and pray so as to build together, especially through a genuine interreligious dialogue, a just, peaceful, fraternal and prosperous world. Thank you for your attention.