WCRP official calls for cooperation that protects human dignity

By Jelly F. Musico

MANILA, March 18 (PNA) –- World Conference of Religions for Peace (WCRP) secretary-general William Vendley called on Wednesday for an action-oriented cooperation between the governments and religious communities in achieving the peace and development that protects the human dignity.

Vendley made this statement in his speech during the formal opening of the first Special Non-Aligned Movement Ministerial Meeting on Interfaith Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace and Development (SNAMMM) at the Philippine International Convention Center here.

”Religious communities and governments have different and quite distinct identities, mandates and capacities. Cooperation between them should respect these differences even as it helps us all to build the peace for which our hearts hunger,” said Vendley.

The WCRP official said the cooperation action must express the commitments of the 118 NAM member countries and faith-based groups “to honor and protect the inviolable dignity of each person.”

”Our human family is faced with new, urgent and decisive threats to peace. Action that combines justice with forgiveness must be urgently taken,” he said.

Vendley cited three decisive steps to achieve the full cooperation of the religious organizations and governments in various interfaith dialogues to build effective mechanisms in searching for lasting peace and development.

”First, religious communities can unite to build the simple and honest mechanism that can serve principled multi-religious cooperation for peace. Many are already cooperating with governments, but more governmental partnerships are needed,” he said.

Vendley suggested also that the governments should better equip themselves for partnerships with religious and multi-religious bodies for them to serve better for the common good.

”In short, states need to build strategies and equip themselves for partnerships with religious communities,” he added.

Lastly, Vendley urged the SNAMMM delegates to have a common conviction to translate into a new political paradigm the golden role which is “do to others as you wish done to you.”

”We need to forge a notion of shared security. Today, my security depends on yours. Yes, we can and do respect the need for state security. But these are not enough. Today, no walls can be built high enough to protect ourselves from the needs of others. Their security has to be our concern,” he explained.

More than 120 foreign delegates are attending the three-day NAM’s interfaith dialogue which was formally opened by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Like Vendley, United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) president Ali Abdussalam Treki and Egyptian Minister of Endowments and former NAM chairman Mohamoud Mandi Zakzouk thanked President Arroyo for taking initiative to host this year’s SNAMMM. (PNA)
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