JourneyOnline
Uniting Church National Assembly Associate General Secretary Rev Glenda Blakefield, was invited by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to join a delegation to The Fourth Asia-Pacific Regional Interfaith Dialogue in Cambodia, held 2-4 April.
Fifteen nations representing 620 million people met in Phnom Penh for the fourth dialogue with the theme of “Phnom Penh Dialogue 2008 on Interfaith Cooperation for Peace and Harmony” to explore interfaith strategies to promote peace and harmony through respect, tolerance, understanding, communication, and strengthening of relationships.
Ms Blakefield says the most important outcome of the dialogue was the re-affirmation of the role that faith and the spirituality of each faith tradition plays in peace-making.
“We focussed on interfaith education and looked at what each of us would be doing in terms of growing our children into being peacemakers able to provide leadership for the future,” said Ms Blakefield.
With its long history of participation in interfaith dialogue at both grass roots and official levels and its strong ecumenical relationships the Uniting Church had a wealth of experience to bring to the table. Even so, as Ms Blakefield points out, the dialogues are about planting seeds rather than pulling on shoots.
“They won’t get headline results; they’re long term understandings of how to transform communities into societies that actively promote and build peace. I don’t think they’re quick solutions.”
The dialogue produced the “Phnom Penh declaration” — an action plan with 17 recommendations including the recognition of peace as a sacred priority and a call for increased participation by women and youth in interfaith dialogue.
Vice-President of the Affinity Intercultural Foundation Zuleyha Keskin who represented the Australian Muslim community said that it is predominantly men that are taking part in the dialogues.
“Australia had four or five women so we had good representation but for some countries there weren’t any and we know that women are active everywhere.”
Apart from the potential for peace the dialogues offer the region both Ms Blakefield and Ms Keskin note that leaders from the Australian Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, and Buddhist communities all coming together has benefits closer to home.
“You’re having meals together so it’s an opportunity to communicate with each other and become more aware of what’s happening in Australia,” says Ms Keskin.
As Ms Blakefield says interfaith understanding is built on strong inter-personal relationships.
“The personal relationship is at the heart of it. When it comes to how communities are transformed at the grass roots that’s what wins the day.”
Photo : Vice-President of the Affinity Intercultural Foundation Zuleyha Keskin (left) and Uniting Church National Assembly Associate General Secretary Rev Glenda Blakefield
