RP leads UN interfaith meet | June 24, 2005

6.23.05

Romulo exhorts diplomats on peace, security promotion Arroyo cites peace as basic human need

UNITED NATIONS, New York City – Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo opened the United Nations Conference on Interfaith Cooperation for Peace last Wednesday, an unprecedented gathering of government officials, United Nations executives and civil society leaders to discuss the importance of interfaith dialogue and cooperation in the search for peace.

In his opening remarks, Secretary Romulo told the participants in the Conference: “Your presence here is an inspiring response to the urgent call for the promotion of peace and security and reflects a multi-sectoral approach – a tripartite partnership among governments, the UN system and civil society, including faithbased organizations involved in the search for peace.”

Romulo, who read a message from President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to the participants, pointed out that “Her Excellency, Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, President of the Republic of the Philippines, has made the promotion of interfaith dialogue and cooperation a cornerstone of her government.”

Saying that he believes that “this conference can make a crucial and significant contribution in bringing the weight of interfaith dialogue and cooperation to bear heavily on the side of peace,” Romulo suggested some approaches that the participants might wish to take “in building on our work today and sustaining the momentum generated by our historic forum.”

The Secretary suggested that the participants may wish to consider the following: First, the conference outcome has to provide meaningful inputs to the September summit; second, the outcome should include follow-up activities and a mechanism for continued cooperation; and third, conference outcome should be inclusive of related initiatives aimed at promoting peace so that these different but mutually reinforcing initiatives will all contribute to durable peace at home and abroad.

GMA sends message to United Nations interfaith conference

President Arroyo yesterday sent the following message to the UN Conference on Interfaith Cooperation for Peace, which was read by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo:

“I cordially extend the greetings and felicitations of the Filipino people, the Philippine government and my own to all the participants in the Conference on Interfaith Cooperation for Peace in New York. I am confident that your conference will succeed in making meaningful contributions to a stronger role for interfaith cooperation in the promotion of peace.

“I congratulate the member states, the agencies in the United Nations system and the members of civil society, who sponsored this meeting for their dedication to the cause of peace and for their successful preparations for this conference. Their tripartite success dispels the myth that the attainment of the goals of the United Nations, including peace and security, is an intergovernmental monopoly. I commend them too for being able to attract noted personalities from their respective ranks who will certainly enrich the discussions.

“Interfaith cooperation has proven crucial in my country’s own search for peace. In sharing our experience and in promoting interfaith cooperation, we hope to contribute to building peace throughout the world. It has taken the United Nations almost 60 years to recognize the positive contributions interfaith cooperation can make to the achievement of the goals of the United Nations especially in the realm of peacemaking and peacebuilding.

“For the first time, the General Assembly adopted last year by consensus, a resolution, initiated by the Philippines, on the promotion of inter-religious dialogue, thus opening the portals of the United Nations to interfaith partnerships and cooperation in the cause of peace.

“Peace is a basic human need as important as those for food, shelter and clothing. In the satisfaction of these economic needs, cooperation has been developed by governments in partnership with the private sector and other stakeholders from civil society. In the attainment of the human need for peace, governments and the United Nations have yet to forge a durable partnership with civil society, especially with the influential faith-based organizations, all of which espouse peace.

“This is the challenge your conference faces. It is a question to which we await your response. I wish you every success in your task. Mabuhay!”

Posted by admin at June 24, 2005 03:26 PM