In the presence of His Highness Prince El Hassan Bin Talal, the seventh Colloquium of the Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies (RIIFS) commenced its 2-day program in the morning of May 8, 2024 at the Intercontinental Hotel in Amman – Jordan,
The Jordanian Royal National Anthem announced the start of the opening ceremony, followed by the speech of His Beatitude Patriarch Louis Raphael Card. Sako (included below). Then a speech of His Excellency the Apostolic Nuncio to Jordan, Bishop Giovanni Dal Tazo.
In a welcoming speech, His Highness Prince El Hassan mentioned that “Iraq and the ancient Chaldean family”.
Here is the text of Patriarch Sako’s address:
Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies (RIIFS) Amman – Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
The 8th of May 2024
First, I would like to thank His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan, his government, and the people of Jordan for receiving many displaced Iraqis and others in Jordan. I hope that the displaced will never forget these gentle humanitarian touches.
On behalf of the Vatican delegation, I extend my thanks and gratitude to The Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies (RIIFS), His Highness Prince El Hassan Bin Talal of Jordan, the director of the institute and its staff. We appreciate their exceptional efforts and initiatives in promoting awareness of the dynamic interfaith dialogue between religions in all its dimensions, in order to achieve harmonious coexistence and preserve social peace, religious and cultural diversity in the region.
Dialogue, I mean courageous dialogue, is the guaranteed way to solve problems and achieve comprehensive and lasting peace against war that destabilize human fraternity. Our hope is that people of good will contribute to establishing peace. We cannot disregard the death of thousands of innocent people and millions of displaced, as is the current situation in the Holy Land, Ukraine and other countries. There is an urgent need for international balance to provide the opportunity for peace, security and safety all over the world.
I would like also to highlight the role of the Catholic Church and Pope Francis’ stance addressing the importance of peace, preserving human rights, freedom and dignity. His focus on respecting and having dialogue among religions has become a fundamental value for the Church.
Consequently, the Document on Human Fraternity for world peace and living together, signed by Pope Francis and Sheikh of Al-Azhar Dr. Muhammad Al-Tayeb in Abu Dhabi on February 4, 2019, is a unique historical achievement between both Christian and Islamic religions.
Human fraternity is no longer an idea, but rather a necessary “life-long project” that we need to grow up with and apply it on daily basis, since life is an art of humanization, principles and morals that requires courage. War intersects with peace! Our world is in need leaders who work hard to make peace.
Man is the Center of Religions at Both Times of Peace and War
Christ instructed His disciples: “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6/ 31). Almost similar phrase is found in “Al – Hadith El – Sharif”: “No one of you shall become a true believer until he desires for his brother what he desires for himself”. This is the golden rule for dealing with people and establishing harmonious coexistence.
God, the Creator, calls us to work diligently to reduce injustice and pain, change people’s conditions, turn off all forms of conflict and war, spreading concepts of life, love, fraternity, tolerance, common good, mutual respect and peace, instead of hatred, separation and fighting.
Caring about people is an evidence of our love and true worship for God the Almighty. Since God created us different, we must respect His design, and not set ourselves up as judges to classify people.
It is unfortunate that the region has been drawn into a widespread extremism, so there is now, more than ever before, a need to create a strong, shared mutual feeling about the importance of spreading a culture of moderation, peace and coexistence, as well as preserving the rights of citizens on the basis of their fraternity bond in creation and their unity in faith. Therefore, the difference in religions, as we mentioned, is a divine design, and extremist ideology does not help us dealing with challenges and rounding corners.
Awareness and Education
I believe that the current problem with divergence and extremism lies in the “lack” of our religious and societal awareness and education. For instance, if our education is sensible, coherent, and open to others, recognizing and accepting them as brothers / sisters in humanity and as a citizen, it will certainly lead to real positive results away from disagreements and bad actions.
Education is our path to future and peace. Let us teach our children using words of love and respect instead of words of infidelity “takfir”, betrayal, and exclusion, which are generally not based on the message of religion that aims to bring people closer together and not to divide them. Thus, implementing an integrated strategy to renew religious “TEXT” and discourse in the region will spare conflicts and disputes.
In fact, current circumstances fuel the pace of violence in the Arab region, due to wrong “inherited” opinions about others who are different from us, and judged absentia. Especially because we people of the East in general, tend to oppress, accuse each other, take revenge by force as well as seeking control over power, money and people instead of relying on justice, dialogue, and understanding.
This kind of “strict” stance toward others, generates a state of instability and tension, and may lead to a long lasting war, a war that destroys what man has accomplished over the centuries. Not to mention the enormous human, material, civilizational and cultural losses resulting from such absurd wars, as happened in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and what is happening in the Holy Land today. The scene is very dangerous and very disturbing.
Message of the Cleric
Clerics must have an enlightened mind because he carries an uplifting message. Clerics plants love in the heart of people instead of hatred, because love is the food that nourishes coexistence, cooperation, peace and stability. Whereas, war is not consistent with the message of religions nor with the will of God.
A cleric is someone who speaks in the name of God and does what God wants. Hence, he should dare to say what others cannot. Otherwise, it would be disastrous, if the authority of the clergy deviates from the scope of advising good morals and spreading human and spiritual values.
Forming people is an inspirational mission, through education programs in the curriculum of religion and history in schools, Mosques, Churches, workshops, and media. Also, adopting a sound interpretation of the “sacred texts” in their historical, cultural and social contexts is necessary to close the door on those who interpret them outside their framework and “fill /wash” people’s minds with distorted interpretations. Thus, such an open and enlightened way, is enough to dismantle extremist ideology, combat terrorism, prepare the future, and ensure better conditions for human beings.