Saudi king to open inter-faith conference
2008-07-15
Representatives of world's great religions ‘to get to know each other’ in Madrid meeting.
MADRID - Saudi King Abdullah opens an international conference in Madrid on Wednesday aimed at allowing representatives of the world's great religions "to get to know each other," the organisers said.
The conference is organised by the Muslim World League from an initiative by King Abdullah, whose country hosts Islam's two holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina.
The king "has been calling for this type of dialogue between religions for the past three years," Saudi Deputy Culture and Information Minister Saleh al-Namlah told a news conference Monday.
Around 200 participants are expected, including representatives of the world's major religions: Islam, Christianity, Judaism and Buddhism.
Among them are the secretary general of the World Jewish Congress Michael Schneider and Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, in charge of dialogue between the Vatican and Muslims.
The secretary general of the Muslim World League, Abdullah al-Turki, said "the aim of this inter-faith conference is for us to get to know each other and to look for ways to cooperate.
"We are not going to discuss religious issues or common issues between religions such as ethics, family, the environment," he said.
After an inaugural session on Wednesday attended by the Saudi king and Spain's King Juan Carlos, four closed-door round tables will be held before a final communique on Friday.
Spain was chosen as the site for the conference as it is "a natural place for this type of dialogue" since for centuries it has been home to members of three of the world's great religions, said the Saudi ambassador to Spain, Saud bin Naif.
Furthermore, the UN Alliance of Civilizations, aimed at promoting dialogue between different cultures, was the idea of Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.
Last November King Abdullah met Pope Benedict XVI during the first official visit to the Vatican by a monarch from the ultra-conservative Saudi kingdom.
Saudi king to open inter-faith conference
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