Newsarchive European News
(28.06.2010) Representatives of 20 organisitions who belong within the Religions for Peace European Interreligious Youth Network gathered in central Paris 25 to 27 June for a summit of the network. The young leaders, who represented Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh organisations, met under the headline “Arms Down! Disarm for Development” which is also the title of a global Religions for Peace advocacy campaign initiated by its youth groups. The Arms Down! campaign has collected incredible 3 million signatures since its launch in November 2009. More
(24.06.2010) “Tolerance” and “interreligious dialogue” were words used frequently during a three hour debate of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on Wedesday 23rd June on Islam, Islamism and Islamophobia. But even more frequently the European parliamentarians talked about burkas and niqabs. The resolution which was approved unanimously at the end of the session, warned against general prohibition of women’s veils, which is being discussed in a number of European countries, but admitted that in certain situations veils may be proscribed for security reasons. The resolution also called on Switzerland to repeal its ban on minarets. More
(30.05.2010) The governing board of Religions for Peace Europe – the network of national chapters and interreligious councils within the Religions for Peace movement – met in Paris on 28 to 30 May. The governing board shared information on the work of Religions for Peace across the European continent and discussed future strategies and pan-European projects. On Friday 28 May the governing board members were guests at a service and Sabbath meal at the synagogue of the Mouvement Juif Liberal de France in central Paris and was welcomed by their Rabbi Delphine Horvilleur.
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(20.05.2010) On Tuesday 18 May the Foundation for a Culture of Peace, in collaboration with the European Council of Religious Leaders, hosted a seminar at the Palais des Nations in Geneva on “Religions and the Building of Peace: Fostering Intercultural and Interreligious Cooperation and Action for a Culture of Peace.” The meeting was attended by religious representatives, experts and members of UN delegations in Geneva. More
(07.05.2010) Religious leaders in Sweden have launched a national interreligious council at a meeting in Uppsala on 4 May.
The council is a fruit of a process initiated by Church of Sweden Archbishop Anders Wejryd, who is also a World Council of Religions for Peace Co-President.
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(05.05.2010) An international conference on “Religious Freedom in Democratic Societies” organised by Spain, which currently holds the EU presidency, together with the Alliance of Civilizations, in its final recommendations pointed to interreligious councils on local, national and international levels as one important way of promoting religious freedom in Europe. The conference met in Cordoba, Spain, on 2 to 4 May and gathered representatives from EU institutions, member states’ governments and experts. More
(10.03.2010) The Religions for Peace Finnish Women of Faith Network was launched on the International Women´s Day, 8 March 2010.
The working group consists of women from ten different faiths and denominations and is the first interreligious women’s group in Scandinavia promoting social cohesion: peaceful and just communities with the interfaith dialogue and cooperation.
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(18.02.2010) Saturday, February 13th 2010, in St Francis of Assize Conference Room, in Capucin Covent in Paris XIV, a venue rich with long history of living together and dialogue between different religions, about forty women, deeply committed to their respective faith traditions and involved in various interfaith organizations have launched the French Women of Faith for Peace Network (FWFN). This initiative led by Mehrézia LABIDI-MAIZA, the Global Women of Faith Network coordinator and Brigitte CHEVALIER, the Religions for Peace representative at UNESCO was welcomed by women of faith from different traditions, Christians, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Sikh and Baha’i. More
(27.01.2010) The European Council of Religious Leaders – Religions for Peace has been granted “participatory status” with the Council of Europe. The Council will be one of a total of 400 International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs) which enjoy this special relationship with the Council of Europe which counts 47 European countries as members and whose main task is to promote democracy and human rights in Europe. The INGOs range from federations of police officers to youth organisations and associations for musicians and artist. “Our new status is an indication that the Council of Europe recognises the value of working with religious groups which are an important part of civil society,” ECRL General Secretary Revd Vebjørn Horsfjord said. More
(17.01.2010) For the first time in his pontificate Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday 17 January crossed the river Tiber in Rome to visit the Jewish community. He is the second pope to visit the Great Synagogue in the city. The Pope acknowledged the work of his predecessor Pope John Paul II and stated that he wishes the good relationship between Catholics and Jews to continue by naming the relationship an authentic fraternity and referring to the Ten Commandments and the love of God and neighbour. He also repeated his wish for peace in the Holy Land and for all humanity and remembered his visit in Jerusalem 12 May 2009. More
(18.12.2009) In the presence of HRH Princess Mathilde of Belgium the Belgian Council of Religious Leaders was launched at a ceremony in the Belgian Federal Parliament on Thursday 17 December. The leaders of major religions in Belgium signed the founding document of the council and expressed commitment to continue to strengthen interreligious relations in the country. More
(11.12.2009) On the international Day for Human Rights, on Thursday 10 December, around 100 people of different faiths, many participants at the UN Climate Change Summit, gathered in Gustafskyrkan church in central Copenhagen to celebrate their hope for the future. More
(08.12.2009) Three Religions for Peace international co-presidents, Grand Mufti Mustafa Ceric of Bosnia- Herzegovina, Venerable Grace Chung Lee of Won Buddhism in Korea, and Church of Sweden Archbishop Anders Wejryd will attend a multireligious ceremony on Thursday 10 December in Copenhagen. The ceremony will gather international as well as Danish religious leaders in support of world leaders’ efforts to reach agreement on climate change measures. It is a follow up of an international conference of religious leaders on climate change in 2008 initiated by archbishop Wejryd. Rev Dr Hans Ucko, President of Religions for Peace, Europe, organises the ceremony. On the opening day of the Climate Summit he writes from Copenhagen: “When faced with threats to justice, peace and our environment, there are possibilities to discover our common humanity across religious and cultural boundaries. And in situations of crisis we become more open to listen to and receive the spiritual resources of each other.” More
(30.11.2009) “I was shocked to learn about the outcome of the referendum in Switzerland. I have lived there for ten years and have learned to appreciate the openness and tolerance of the Swiss people. This is a most regrettable damage not only to the reputation of the people of Switzerland but also a great setback to building a Europe of integration and tolerance. On the global level there is every reason to be disturbed by a growing tendency towards fundamentalism and isolation in many countries”, said European Council of Religious Leaders (ECRL) Moderator, Bishop Gunnar Stålsett. More
(27.11.2009) (BIRMINGHAM, UK)—People of faith representing diverse faith traditions pledged to help stop violence against women as part of a global initiative that mobilizes actions by religious leaders and communities – Restoring Dignity: End Violence Against Women. More
