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Malegaon: The Makkah-based Muslim
World League (MWL) has approved a proposal to hold an international
interfaith dialogue conference in the south Indian state of Kerala
in the first half of this year. The organization has sent a letter
to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh requesting his consent,
according to the Arab News.
In his letter to the Indian premier, MWL Secretary-General
Abdullah Al-Turki emphasized his organization’s efforts to promote
and enhance constructive dialogue among adherents of different
faiths and cultures.
The MWL has previously held interfaith dialogue conferences in
Makkah, Madrid and Geneva.
The three-day conference is being organized by the International
Interfaith Dialogue India (IIDI) in Kochi, a platform aimed at
promoting peace, harmony and fraternity among various religious
communities in India.
V.K. Abdul Aziz, director of Al-Hayat International School in
Jeddah and an executive member of IIDI, said a high-level
delegation led by professor M.D. Nalapat, K.J. Yesudas, Justice
P.K. Shamsuddin and Justice K.A.A. Gafoor would soon meet Prime
Minister Singh, Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna and Home Minister P.
Chidambaram for getting their approval.
Abdul Aziz said the IIDI got the inspiration to host the
conference from Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah’s
interfaith dialogue initiative.
“Religions and Human Values” is the title of the conference, which
is scheduled for April 2011, he said, adding that it would be held
with the support of MWL and other national and international
organizations.
Abdul Aziz highlighted the significance of such a conference in a
country like India where communal tensions threaten its security
and stability.
“The conference will surely evoke a positive thinking to
strengthen Indian pluralism and secularism and help eliminate
threats from disruptive forces,” he said. “We anticipate
participation of about 50 delegates from various countries in
Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Far East apart from 200 others
from various parts of lndia, representing different religious and
cultural groups.”
The IIDI, whose patrons include prominent personalities such as
V.R. Krishna lyer, a former judge of the Supreme Court of India,
and playback singer Yesudas, has held a number of meetings to
prepare for the historic conference.
The organization’s governing body includes such eminent
personalities and religious leaders as Swamy Agnivesh, Swamy Omkar
Ananad Saraswathi Mahraj, Rev. Albert Nambiaparambil, Rev. Raphael
Thattil and Jamal Mankada, the imam of Palayam Masjid in Kerala
state capital Thiruvananthapuram.
“Helping people to understand other people’s religion and faith
through dialogue is our main aim. With this in mind we are holding
positive dialogues among diverse religious and cultural groups,”
Abdul Aziz said.
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