Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Dakar (Agenzia Fides) - The diversity of different peoples and cultures, which has led to a mixture of ethnic groups and families, has characterized the history of Senegal from the beginning.
The Country is today an example of peaceful coexistence between the different religious communities and respect for others, according to a statement from the Salesian missionaries on the recently concluded visit of the General Councilor for the Missions, Fr. Alfred Maravilla, SVB to Senegal. A total of 97.2% of the population professes Islam, 6% follow traditional tribal religions. The proportion of Christians in the total population is 2%. Ninety-five percent of Muslims belong to Sufi orders, which consider peace and tolerance to be important values.
"The relations between Christian and Muslim religious authorities are also characterized by respect and friendship," underlines the religious, born in the Philippines and who worked for a long time as a missionary in Papua New Guinea, in his letter. The openness to welcoming Muslim students in Catholic schools since the arrival of the first missionaries, as well as the advocacy of an attitude of religious tolerance, may have been the foundations of these peaceful Islamic-Christian relations.
During the meeting with the local Salesians, Father Maravilla encouraged them to "increase the activities and initiatives that promote a dynamic coexistence between Muslims and Christians in our environment." Over the years, the Salesian institutions, be they schools, training centers or oratories, have become places where Christians and Muslims meet in friendship and learn to respect each other's faith and religious sentiments. (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 4/9/2024)
