Head of the Commission on Interreligious Relations Takes Part in a Conference in Paris
These days, at the invitation of the head of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of France, Archbishop Éric de Moulins-Beaufort, a meeting of officials of the Catholic Church responsible for interreligious dialogue in different European countries is taking place.
The working meeting, organized by the Council of Catholic Bishops of Europe (CCEE), is taking place this time in Paris (France), where from September 12 to 15, the participants exchange experiences and views on the future prospects of Islamic-Christian relations in Europe.
With the blessing of His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Fr. Ihor Shaban, Chairman of the Commission on Interfaith and Interreligious Relations, is participating in the working meeting. During his speech, Fr. Ihor informed his European colleagues about “the unjust war that the Russian Federation continues against the Ukrainian civilian population, attacking critical infrastructure and residential areas.
The full-scale war waged by Russia against Ukraine has changed the lives of all Ukrainians, regardless of their religious or national affiliation. Ukrainian Muslims have actively joined the resistance to Russia’s armed aggression. They are ready to defend the independence of their homeland to their last breath and to protect, above all, such fundamental values as freedom, unity, and human dignity, which are the cornerstones of today’s fight against the aggressor.”
In conclusion, the priest said: “In Ukraine, we strongly believe that interreligious dialogue, and in our case, Christian-Muslim dialogue, is an important element for building a better and more peaceful European society in our common home.”
The UGCC Department for Informationbased on the materials of the UGCC Commission on Interfaith and Interreligious Relations
