MANILA, Philippines - President Arroyo challenged yesterday nations and the world’s religions to redeem the true meaning of their respective faiths by bringing lasting peace and prosperity to the world.
Mrs. Arroyo made the call in her message at the Special Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Meeting on Interfaith Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace and Development at the Philippine International Convention Center attended by foreign ministers of 118 NAM member-states.
She said the draft Manila Declaration that the delegates would adopt should contain an action plan of practical action-oriented policies culled from numerous local, regional and multilateral interfaith and intercultural dialogues.
“All great religions advocate love; hold life to be sacred; profess peace and promote understanding. Our challenge in promoting interfaith dialogue and cooperation is to redeem the true meaning of our respective faiths if we are to bring lasting peace and prosperity to the world,” she said.
The Philippines is hosting the special ministerial meeting originally scheduled last December but deferred when parts of the country were devastated by typhoons “Ondoy” and “Pepeng.”
A majority of the 118 NAM member countries represented in the meeting will tackle issues such as the financial crisis, climate change, nuclear non-proliferation and other pressing global concerns.
It is the first time that NAM, an international organization of states not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc, will harness the great potentials of interfaith dialogue and cooperation to advance concerns for durable and lasting peace and sustainable development.
The four-day NAM ministerial meeting has gathered together more than 120 delegates, observers, and guest countries and organizations.
United Nations General Assembly president Dr. Ali Abdussalam Treki is representing the UN.
The conference is the second biggest gathering in Manila of high-level government representatives, second only to the Ministerial Meeting of the United Conference on Trade and Development in 1979.
NAM represents the interests and priorities of developing countries in international affairs. It has its origin in the Asia-Africa Conference held in Bandung, Indonesia in 1955.
Through the steady promotion of interfaith dialogue, and respect for diverse cultures, traditions and practices in Mindanao, the President said the government was able to build roads that opened up remote areas into the mainstream of economic activities and to construct irrigation systems in farmlands that used to be impenetrable to construction companies because of conflict.
Mrs. Arroyo pointed out that the Philippines and Pakistan, with the full support of NAM member countries, have actively pursued in the UN the promotion of interfaith and intercultural dialogue, understanding, and cooperation for peace since 2004.
“This is new proof that we are all united by our common humanity and by our common quest for peace and prosperity,” she said.
All roads lead to lasting peace
Meanwhile, Ban Ki-moon, UN secretary-general, issued a call to NAM members to exert more efforts to forge greater understanding that will lead to lasting peace.
“We have had enough mutual suspicion and fear. The wonderfully diverse members of your movement can do much to forge greater understanding, and that understanding can be the foundation for a better future and a world of peaceful coexistence,” Ban said in a video message. – Rainier Allan Ronda