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The world stage today is in need of more dialogue for peace than strategies for war. As some groups and organisations continue to resort to extremes in thought and in practice, it is critical that tolerance as a principle is promoted, supported as much as it is advanced.
The opening of the inter-faith international conference in Madrid is one effort that would help to alleviate differences and tensions between various belief systems. Initiated by Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz and organised under the auspices of the Muslim World League (MWL), the conference is being attended by more than 200 prominent leaders and scholars representing the world's major religions and civilisations. "At this conference, we will aim to focus on a shared world vision far removed from the religious discords and political differences," said Dr Abdullah Al Turki, secretary-general of MWL.
But building bridges between the different faiths will require a lot of work. It would need constant effort and time, as it is a task that is complex and difficult. The best starting point for such an initiative is to find the ground of commonality rather than differences between faiths and beliefs. Most importantly though, is that initiatives continue beyond their starting point.
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