RP hosting of special NAM Ministerial Meeting will harness potential of Interfaith Dialogue for lasting peace and development -- PGMA says

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said the Philippines’ hosting of the Special Non-Aligned Movement Ministerial Meeting on Interfaith Dialog and Cooperation for Peace and Development on March 16 to 18, will harness the great potential of interfaith dialog in bringing lasting peace and sustainable development, a press release from the Office of the Press Secretary said.

The President espoused this during the opening ceremonies of the 15th NAM Summit at the Maritim Congress Center in Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt in July last year, where she invited member-countries of the NAM to actively participate in the conference that will mark the first time that the Non-Aligned Movement will harness the great potentials of interfaith dialogue and cooperation to advance circular concerns for durable, lasting peace and sustainable development.
        The meeting, which will be held at the Philippine International Convention Center, will give representatives of the 118 NAM member-countries the opportunity to focus on the role of interfaith dialog and cooperation play in averting and ending conflicts that bring death and destruction around the world.
         Arroyo has pointed out that issues such as the financial crisis, climate change, nuclear non-proliferation and other pressing global concerns can be effectively addressed through international solidarity and dialogue amongst peoples, civilizations and religions, the press release said.

The Philippines is the leading proponent on interfaith dialog and promotes the same to bring peace and development in Mindanao.
          In 2004, the UN General Assembly adopted the Philippines resolution on interfaith dialogue as another option in realizing a durable peace. And in 2006, during the 14th NAM which the President attended, the final document included Philippines’ hosting of the special meeting on interfaith dialogue.
          It is in NAM that the Philippines is able to amplify its support for efforts to meet threats to international peace and security through dialogue, preventive measures and peacemaking, the press release said.

A Department of Foreign Affairs statement said that the Philippines “considers that intercultural and interfaith dialogue policy framework paves the way for the coming together of people of different cultures and faiths to build, through dialogue and action, a shared environment of peace and security based on mutual understanding, trust and respect.”

The special NAM meeting was originally scheduled for December 1-3, 2009, but was postponed to March so that the Philippine government could concentrate on relief and rehabilitation efforts in the wake of typhoons “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” that struck the country in September last year, the press release said.*

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