A harmonious future for Asia and Europe hinges on wisdom that
can steer the course of their interactions.
So said delegates at the third annual Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM)
Interfaith Dialogue, which wrapped up yesterday in Nanjing, capital
of East China's Jiangsu Province.
In the Nanjing Statement, issued at the conclusion of the event,
participants from the two continents vowed to deepen and broaden
the dialogue process to foster a peaceful and harmonious
partnership, Cui Tiankai, assistant minister of foreign affairs of
China said at a joint news conference with Senator Gianni Vernetti,
undersecretary of state at the Italian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs.
Building on the achievements of the first two meetings, in Bali
in 2005 and Cyprus in 2006, the two-day dialogue co-hosted by China
and Italy served as a platform for religious and political leaders
and academics to address their diversity and commonality in faiths
and deliberate on further tapping the potential of interfaith talks
in enhancing mutual understanding in an era of globalization, he
said.
China adheres to the policy of guaranteeing the freedom of
religious belief, and acknowledged the active role religion plays
in building a harmonious society, he said.
It has been proved by history that faith is an objective
reality, it can neither be imposed nor deprived, Ye Xiaowen,
Minister of China's State Administration for Religious Affairs said
at the closing ceremony.
"In Chinese culture, harmony is underpinned by diversity.
Seeking harmony while acknowledging differences means that a
country or an ethnic group, while preserving its own cultural
heritage, should be open and tolerant to other civilizations," Ye
said.
In a world wrought with uncertainties, it is vital to pursue
mutual understanding through dialogue, and achieve harmony through
tolerance, he said.
The Fourth ASEM Interfaith Dialogue will be co-hosted by the
Netherlands and Thailand next year in Amsterdam.
(China Daily June 22, 2007)
