VATICAN - Christians and Buddhists: common responsibility able to guide the young people to become instruments of justice and peace

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The message that the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue sent to Buddhists on the occasion of Vesakh, which commemorates the principal events of Buddha's life, is dedicated to the efforts of Christians and Buddhists to educate the younger generation to justice and peace through interfaith dialogue. The festival will be celebrated on different dates: April 8 in Japan; May 5 in Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, Burma, Cambodia, Laos; May 6 in India, Nepal, Pakistan, Indonesia; May 28 in South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Tibet, China, Hong Kong and Macau and 4 June in Thailand.
The message highlights how today "more and more classrooms all over the world, students belonging to various religions and beliefs sit side by side, learning with one another and from one another. This diversity gives rise to challenges and sparks deeper reflection on the need to educate young people to respect and understand the religious beliefs and practices of others, to grow in the knowledge of their own, to advance together as responsible human beings and to be ready to join hands with those of other religions to resolve conflicts and to promote friendship, justice, peace and authentic human development".
Echoing the thoughts of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, the message stressed that "true education can support an openness to the transcendent as well as to those around us. Where education is a reality, there is an opportunity for dialogue, for inter-relatedness and for receptive listening to the other". Young people, "resource for every society", "they put pressure on us to destroy all the walls which unfortunately still separate us. By their questioning they nurture the dialogue between religions and cultures." The message concludes with the hope of guiding young people together,"by our example and teaching to become instruments of justice and peace. We share a common responsibility we have towards the present and future generations, nurturing them to be peaceful and to be peace makers". (SL) (Agenzia Fides 04/04/2012)