http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7§ion=0&article=126958&d=1&m=10&y=2009&pix=opinion.jpg&category=Opinion
Thursday 1 October 2009 (12 Shawwal 1430)
Toward disseminating human values
Abdul Aziz Valiyaveetil | [email protected]
As the winds of change, here is another historical moment to
remember - the Geneva Conference 2009. Initiated by the Custodian of the Two
Holy Mosques King Abdullah and organized by the Makkah-based Muslim World
League, the conference is titled "Inter-religious Dialogue and its Impact in
Disseminating Human Values".
Last year, under the wise guidance and leadership King
Abdullah and the patronage of the king of Spain, Juan Carlos, Madrid marked the
beginning of a new era of Consensus of Civilizations. And this year, in Geneva,
the work continues.
All mankind dreams of a beautiful and peaceful world, where
there will be no place for hatred and hardship. The advancement of science and
technology has given even more substance to these dreams. We once shed the
banner of religion in favor of science for achieving this end. Science, we
believed, had the answers to all our problems. But the unbridled growth of
science without a conscience has caused irreparable harm to humanity. What we
see today is that people are abandoning moral values and virtues for material
gains. Greed and jealousy have conquered the human mind. War, terrorism and
crime have become everyday news.
It is here that King Abdullah calls for the unity of
civilizations on common grounds to promote common goodness and the peaceful
coexistence of various faiths, creeds and communities.
Let us not forget that those who oppose dialogue and
cooperation between cultures and religions are those who wish the world to
remain in chaos and discord. For only if the various cults fight between
themselves can the weapons be sold, only then can nations be subjugated. The
imperialist long ago realized that the best way to rule was to divide - and the
easiest way to divide is on the basis of beliefs and culture.
It is, therefore, integral to end the call for the clash of
civilizations and cultures and to warn of the danger of campaigns seeking to
worsen conflicts and destabilize peace and security. We need to embrace common
human values, to cooperate in their dissemination within societies and to solve
the problems that prevent their attainment.
Disseminating a culture of tolerance and understanding
through dialogue in order to be a framework for international relations through
holding conferences and symposia, as well as developing relevant cultural,
educational and media programs is vital for the modern world.
Let us hope that this dialogue follows in the footsteps of
the one before and triggers an end to divisions on the basis of religion,
sects, beliefs, colors, creeds and origins. Let the world be divided only into
two - the good and the bad. And let the forces of good come together till the
evil is defeated, till light shines, peace prevails and the Kingdom of God
reigns supreme on earth as it does in heaven.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
