The Inaugural Meeting of the Middle East Council of Religious Leaders - Religions for Peace at the BA
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Alexandria—
The BA is hosting the Inaugural Meeting of the Middle East Council of Religious Leaders - Religions for Peace, 14 and 15 July 2008. The Council will be led by religious leaders in the Middle East; Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunis, Turkey, and United Arab Emirates. The Holy Land Council and the Middle East Council of Churches will also participate in the meeting.
Dr. Ismail Serageldin, Director of the Library of Alexandria and Dr. William Vendley, Secretary General, Religions for Peace will inaugurate the meeting. It will be followed by the formulation of the Middle East Council of Religious leaders - Religions for Peace; reviewing draft constitution for the Middle East Council of Religious Leaders; and reviewing membership criteria and future development of membership. The Council will also discuss developing an action plan for Middle East Council of Religious Leaders.
On the second day, Dr. Serageldin will give a lecture entitled “Wealth, Poverty and Exclusion – Economic Challenges to Peace in the Middle East”. Geir O. Pedersen, Former UN Undersecretary General, Lebanon, will also give a lecture entitled “Religions in Partnership for Peace in the Middle East: Perspectives from an International Observer”. Another session to respond to challenges for peace will follow.
The Council will include the Co-Presidents and Honorary Presidents of Religions for Peace International. The Establishment Committee has considered principles of additional membership: countries represented, religions in the region, major religious organizations, notable leaders and personalities.
The Council will be charged with advancing the Religions for Peace mission on the Middle East regional level. It will take the lead in addressing pan-Middle East challenges such as conflicts and other challenges that pose threats to genuinely peaceful societies in the Region.
The leaders of Religions for Peace from the Middle East - Co-Presidents and Honorary Presidents - had previously convened in Alexandria, Egypt, on 3 December 2007, and agreed to establish a Middle East Regional structure of Religions for Peace. Representatives of the Religious Council of the Holy Land also participated in the meeting.
Religions for Peace advances common action among the religious communities for peace. Multi-religious cooperation for peace is the hallmark of Religions for Peace. This cooperation includes and goes beyond dialogue and bears fruit in common concrete action.