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The First World Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace

Published on 2007-12-27 17:36:00

From 3 to 6 January, 2005, one hundred Imams and Rabbis representing communities all over the earth, were united under the High Patronage of His Majesty Albert II and His Majesty Mohammed VI, King of Morocco, Commander of the Faithful, to act together and state to the world, that peace and reconciliation are at the very heart of their religions.

 

Objectives of the Congress

Under the High Patronage of His Majesty Albert II, King of Belgium
And of His Majesty Mohammed VI, King of Morocco, Commander of the Faithful

Egmont Palace, Brussels, Belgium
From 3 to 6 January, 2005

 

One hundred Imams and Rabbis, representing their communities all over the earth, united to act together and state to the world
that peace and reconciliation are at the very heart of their religions.

Originally to be held in Morocco, but finally relocated to Brussels due to the international situation, the First World Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace sought to :

• condemn all forms of violence perpetrated in the name of God or some religious principle.
• create a dialogue and a far-reaching, durable partnership between Islam and Judaism.
• allow the religious leaders to contribute to identifying peaceful solutions to conflicts which can be influenced by the two religions and foster the development of concrete actions in the field.
• bring the leaders of the two religions before the media of the whole world and allow them to express a position of peace and unity.

Final Statement

We, leaders, representatives, Rabbis and Imams of Muslim and Jewish religious communities who have assembled from all over the world for the first world congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace affirm our commitment to strive to end all bloodshed and attacks against innocent human beings that offend the right to life and dignity given by the Almighty to all human beings.

1. We call upon all people to combat hate, ignorance and their causes and to build together a world of peace, rich in diversity, in which all faiths and their practices are respected and protected.
2. We call upon the political leaders of all peoples to work for righteous and peaceful durable solutions around the world and in particular in the Holy Land for the benefit of all peoples and faith-communities who live in the land and hold it dear.
3. We pledge ourselves to pursue a shared goal of respect for human rights for all people and peoples, without which no peace can be possible.
4. We call upon all religious leaders in Jewish and Muslim congregations around the world to devote regular sermons and addresses to their communities on the importance of inter-religious respect and reverence for all human life under all circumstances.
5. We announce the establishment of a advisory joint committee to help implement these commitments and propose programmatic initiatives on a regular basis, in keeping with the proposals presented during the congress and in its spirit for the wellbeing of all peoples.

Egmont Palace - January 6, 2005

Topics and organisation

The selected topics sought to focus on what unites the two religions, centring on the issue: “Islam and Judaism as instruments of peace – recognition and respect of others”.
Emphasis was placed on concrete actions and the setting up of frameworks for immediate and sustainable cooperation.

Editorial Committee

• Mr Mohamed Arkoun Professor in the Sorbonne university
• Mr Paul Ballanfat Chief of Turkish-Persian Studies at the Lyon III university
• Mr Ghaleb Bencheikh Physicist, Vice-president of the World Conference of the Religions for Peace
• Mr Rachid Benzine
• Mr Albert de Pury Professor of biblical sciences at the University of Geneva
• Mr Doudou Diène Special Reporter on contemporary forms of racism, xenophobia and intolerance
• Dr Aly Wahby Abdel Wahab El Samman Vice President of Al Azhar Committee for Interreligious Affairs of Al Azhar
• Mr Paul Fenton Professor at the Sorbonne University and at the Jerusalem University
• Rabbi Doctor Alon Goshen-Gottstein Director of the Elijah Institute
• Rabbi Marc Raphaël Guedj President of the interreligious "Foundation Racines et sources"
• Mrs Tania Heidsieck Theologist, searcher in biblic and koranic hermeneutic
• Mr Daniel Kropf Facilitator / Président of the Education For Life Foundation
• Mr Chief Rabbi Michael Melchior Deputy Minister for the Israeli Society and World Jewish Community
• Mr Kadi Ahmad Natour President of the High Muslim Court of Appeal of Israel
• Mr Marc Alain Ouaknin President of the association "Des Penseurs dans la Cite" Associate Professor at the Bar Ilan University(departement of comparative litterature)
• Mr Bashy Quraishy Chairman of the European Network Against Racism
• Professor Andrea Riccardi President of the community of San Egidio
• Chief Rabbi David Shlomo Rosen International Director of Interreligious Affairs at the Jewish Commitee. International President, World Conference, Religions for Peace
• Chief Rabbi René Samuel Sirat Director of the Unesco Chair for Inter-religious dialogues
• Chief Rabbi Ari Abraham Smadja Rabbi of Ramat Shlomo
• Mr David Susskind Honor Chairman of the laïc jewish communitary center of Belgia
• Dr Ahmed Taoufiq Minister of Habous and Islamic Affairs

The Advisory Committee For Jewish-Muslim Dialogue

The Advisory Committee for Jewish-Muslim Dialogue was created as result of the First World Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace in order to give Jewish-Muslim dialogue an powerful institution so as to reflect and act in all of the domains and problematic issues in which Islam and Judaism are implicated.

It is composed on nine founder members, four international Jewish personalities, four international Muslim personalities and neutral president. It represents more than 150 imams, rabbis and Jewish-Muslim personalities from twenty three countries, participants in the First World Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace.

Mandated by the participants of this first world congress, it has constituted an executive body, responsible for promoting its values, coordinating its initiatives and ensuring that they are carried them out. It is also responsible for the preparation of editions of World Congress of Imams and Rabbis.


 

DOWNLOAD

• the_reasons_of_the_congress.pdf
• kit_congress_of_brussels.pdf
• brussels_press_review.pdf
• brussels_synthesis.pdf
• working_themes_in_4_languages.pdf

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