REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Muslims and Christians will hold a conference of religious leaders of Asia with the theme "Bring a Common Word to Common Action for Justice". The conference, reflecting the spirit of inter-religious cooperation, will take place in Jakarta on February 25 - March 1, 2013.
The event is hosted by a joint committee of Indonesia Muslim, Catholic and Protestant organizations with the support of regional and international partners, such as International Conference of Islamic Scholars (ICIS), Federation of Asian Bishops Conference (FABC), Christian Conference of Asia (CCA), Indonesian Bishops Conference (KWI), and Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI).
The initiative came from 138 Muslim scholars on October 13, 2007. They sent an open letter addressed to Christian World Leaders. FABC and CCA warmly welcomed this initiative and underscored the need for religious leaders in Asia, particularly Muslim and Christians.
Inspired by inter-religious gatherings in the past, such as Asian Gathering of Muslim Ulama and Christians Bishops held in Manila from August 18 to 21, 2003, FABC and CCA asked Muslim leaders to jointly initiate another conference of Muslim and Christian Religious Leaders to address the common concern in Asia today.
The objectives of the conference are the Letter of 138 Muslim scholars to Christian Leader and explore ways to understand it from the religious and cultural perspectives in Asia and to share in a respectful manner the diverse ways Love of God and Love of Neighbour that are practiced by Muslims, Catholics and Protestants in Asia.
The event also aims to discuss the possibility of common collaboration in the implementation of divine mandate within the Asian context, especially with marginalized and poor communities. It also promotes deeper personal friendships among religious leaders in Asia.
The participants on this conference are religious leaders from 16 countries in Asia representing Muslim, Catholic and Protestant religious communities. The total participants, speakers and members of the committee.
Secretary of Organizing Committee, Father Benny Susetyo, said Asian people had strong spirit to make religion as the most important part of their life. "This conference is expected to make religion as a solution from conflicts of tribe, religion, and race," he said.
Secretary General of ICIS, Hasyim Muzadi, said that at certain level we could find similarities as well as differences among religions. "Bur every religion has two sides: existence and tolerance. The permanent factor of tolerance grows from the religious values itself," he said.
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