Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Bangkok (Agenzia Fides) - The dialogue between cultures and religions is the main road to ensure Asia a future of peace and development: this is what emerged from the recent seminar titled "Asian Cultures in Dialogue" organized in Bangkok by the Office for Peace and Harmony of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC). As reported to Fides, the Seminar, which brought together over 50 scholars from 12 countries of Asia, Europe and America, was organized by His Excellency Thomas Menamparampil, already Archbishop of Guwahati, who has spent his whole life for peace in the Northeast of India, who has recently become "Emeritus" (just turned 75), after 50 years of tireless pastoral ministry.
There were experts of different cultural and religious traditions, such as Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism and Jainism, as well as tribal leaders and important representatives of the University of Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuhan, Xian, Shaanxi, Manila, Bangkok, Chennai, Phnom Penh, Madras.
Fr. Stephen Ruixue Chen, of the diocese of Xian stressed "the great start in the long process of building peace through dialogue between cultures", while Nazia Yusuf Izuddin, a Muslim intellectual in New Delhi, said that "some insights that have emerged inspire are thoughts which inspire a change". According to Archbishop Menamparampil - who lived such an initiative as the culmination of his pastoral and cultural work - the goal was "to bring the contribution of different traditions to face urgent problems such as violence, corruption, environmental damage, the erosion of ethical values in Asia". "The complementarity of religions and cultural traditions was evident from the start," the Archbishop explains to Fides. "If we are to avoid a clash of civilizations and cultures - he continued – we must take the path of dialogue that leads to a communion of cultures and civilizations and to become builders of bridges during periods of transition".
The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of Archbishop Menamparampil, on 18 January. With regards to his plans for the future, the Archbishop said: "I have no other desire than to bring people together and share thoughts on the common destiny of humanity. This is the Gospel". (PA) (Agenzia Fides 20/01/2012)
