Italy: Muslim group organizes interfaith meetings

Italy's biggest Muslim group, UCOII is organising a series of meetings in several Italian cities from Saturday through Tuesday to promote inter-religious dialogue.


A delegation of Christians and Muslims from Jordan will be taking part with the first meeting to take place on Saturday in the eastern coastal city of Ancona.


Other meetings are being held in the northern city of Milan, the central city of Florence and the northeastern city of Venice.


The series of meetings is called 'Coexistence: a Comparison of Accounts'.


"Humanity is going through a dark and controversial period, in which it seems to be moving further and further away from God and closer to the lure of materialism and opportunism," UCOII said in a statement.


"The Muslim faithful, believe, together with their monotheistic brethren, in a single God. We share with our Christian brothers in particular two convictions: belief in Jesus Christ and in the pureness of the Madonna," the statement added.


Members of the Jordanian delegation will describe their experience of religious coexistence. It is being led by former culture minister Ezzad Jaradat.


Father Costantin Karmash, member of Jordan's Muslim-Christian Commission, and Royal Commission for Jerusalem Affairs' secretary general, Rauf Abu Jaber, will also take part.


The Italian meetings are a part of a series of initiatives UCOII has organised in 2008 which is designated the 'European Year of Inter-cultural Dialogue'.



Source: AKI (English)

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