"Paths of Peace: Religions and cultures in dialogue" International Conference in Germany
12.09.2017
From September 10 to 12, the International Conference: “PATHS OF PEACE: Religions and cultures in dialogue”; was held in the towns of Münster and Osnabrück, Germany, organized by the Sant'Egidio International Peacekeeping Organization.
The conference was attended by hundreds of representatives of different religions and international organizations. With the blessings of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Great Britain and Ireland; participated the conference.
During the opening ceremony of the conference, following the welcome remarks of Bishop Felix Genn of Münster and Mayor of Münster Mr. Markus Lewe, the message of Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church was read. The key-note speeches were given by: Ms. Andrea Riccardi, Founder of the Community of Sant'Egidio; Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the German Federal Republic; Mr. Mahamadou Issoufou, President of the Republic of Nigeria; Mr. Antonio Tajani, President of the European Parliament; and Al-Tayyeb Ahmad Muhammad, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Egypt.
On the first day of the conference, lectures were delivered by Dr. Jeffrey Sachs (USA), Director of Geological Institute of the University of Columbia; Alba Ruiz de Andres (Spain), member of the community of Sant'Egidio; His Beatitude John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East; Rabbi Avichai Apel, Rabbi of Frankfurt, Germany; and Kosho Niwano, President of Risho Kosei Kai Buddhism (Japan).
Over the course of the conference, 24 workshops and panel discussions were held, with the participation, presentation and attendance by representatives of different religions and religious communities. Within the conference a Youth Forum was also held. On the second day of the conference, Bishop Hovakim Manukyan was a presenter at a workshop on “Christian Martyrdom: past and present”.
The conference ended on September 12, with multiple offerings of a prayer for peace in different churches throughout the city, and a peace procession leading from each of the different churches, and culminating in the center of the city for the final closing ceremonies.
