Resolution on Dialogue between Civilizations and Faith
16th ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA – PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM
21 – 24 January 2008, Auckland, New Zealand
Resolution on Dialogue between Civilizations and Faith
APPF16/RES/12
(Sponsored by the Russian Federation)
THE SIXTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM,
Recognizing the extraordinary significance of inter-civilization and interfaith dialogue for the future of mankind in the modem world;
Reaffirming the need for its further deepening and promotion;
Noting the role of cross-cultural and interfaith dialogue as an efficient mechanism for reducing the threat of risks arising in the culture of a world undergoing globalization;
Underlining that the promotion of dialogue between cultures and faiths helps to consolidate society, create efficient forms of cooperation between states and societies in the interest of securing a civil partnership, and also helps cross-cultural and interfaith cooperation, the formulation of a strategy for creating an integrated social and cultural global space;
Declaring that within the frameworks of continued formation in the world of new cultural and religious paradigms, such notions as "cultural diversity" and a "multi-polar world," "interfaith and cross-cultural dialogue" must serve as value landmarks in the process of achieving the stable promotion and formation of a tolerant society;
Considering as most important the analysis of preconditions and the actual practice of fostering tolerance in public consciousness through modem information and communication systems in the media sphere, including in the virtual Internet medium; recognition of the role of the media and the Internet in abating the risk of interfaith and cross-cultural disagreements and, ultimately, the development of efficient mechanisms for securing the preservation of multicultural diversity in the regional and globalization contexts;
Noting that the promotion of cooperation between the state, civil society and religious communities in resolving social problems promotes social partnership, in which religious organizations take an active part in interfaith dialogue, contributes to the prevention and reconciliation of interfaith and interethnic conflicts, and the counteracting of extremism;
Highlighting the following as the key components of cross-cultural and interfaith dialogue: social partnership experience between the state and religious communities; religious communities' legal status; practice and cooperation of bodies of state power and government with religious communities on the issues of regulating interfaith and inter-ethnic conflicts, counteracting extremism; introduction of religious studies courses in secular schools and state regulation of religious education; solution of issues related to the religious organizations' property status and taxation; regulation of religious organizations' activities in the state of democracy and civil society;
Believing that the primary instrument for securing success of cross-cultural and interfaith dialogue is an improvement in the cross-cultural competence of all members of society, the dissemination of knowledge that helps each person better understand people that share different cultural values and beliefs, people of other nationalities;
Recognizing that a serious complication in interethnic and interfaith relations may result from deficient migration policy mechanisms in various countries, since the negative consequences of illegal and unbridled migration give rise to conflicts, which grow under the pressure of difficult social circumstances due to the absence of an opportunity for a full-fledged exercise of civil rights and freedoms;
RESOLVES TO:
- Urge APPF member countries that solutions to problems be sought not with the help of sermons about religious and ethnic tolerance and attempts to assimilate migrants, but rather by orientating migration policy toward integration, on support for the culture of diasporas, on the legal and social adaptation of migrants, with the preservation of their ethnic and cultural identities, and by promoting cultural diversity in local and regional communities;
- Reaffirm the intention to create within the framework of the Forum a standing working group on applying the positive experience of inter-civilization and interfaith dialogue, and the tolerance and respectful treatment of the religious beliefs of members of various faiths, to the practice of international relations.
