Formation of an Inter-Religious Council for the CIS
On March 3, the Second Inter-Religious Peacemaking Forum concluded its meetings in Moscow. Participating in the Forum was His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, as well as spiritual leaders from throughout the CIS countries.
During the first session, the participants discussed the following topics in small working groups: "The Current Situation of Church-State Relations in the CIS", "Coordination of Traditional Religions in Response to Common Challenges", "Social Services of Religious Organizations" and "Concerns on Religious Education".
The second session was highlighted by the discussions of three specific topics: "Spreading the Experiment of Inter-Religious Cooperation to Regional Levels", "Religion and Mass Media" and "Peacemaking Efforts of Religious Organizations".
The participants presented their results and reports during a final plenary session. In addition, one important decision reached by the Forum was announced during the closing session. An Inter-Religious Council will be formed, with the aim of working to find ways of cooperation between the international and religious community. Some key goals are to conduct joint activities among the traditional religious organizations functioning in the CIS countries, increase dialogue between spiritual leaders, uniting efforts in the struggle against common challenges, encouraging the strengthening of traditional spiritual values in society, regulating Church-State relationships, cooperation in the spheres of peacemaking, and exchanging experiences and ideas in the sphere of social services.
The newly formed council consists of 22 spiritual leaders from throughout the CIS, among them are His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians; His Holiness Alexy II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia; His Holiness Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia; Sheikh Ul Islam Allah-Shukur Pashazade, Spiritual Leader of Muslims in the Caucasus, as well as the spiritual leaders of the Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
Four Co-Chairmen representing the four traditional religions of the CIS countries - Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism, will jointly coordinate the activity of the Council.
