Sauca also expressed deep appreciation for His Excellency Dr Mohammad Bin Abdulkarim Al-issa of the World Muslim League and His Excellency Chief Rabbi Michael Melchior of the Religious Peace Initiative, who also received the Bridge Builder Award. “Wherever possible, we also seek to cooperate with our partners from other religious communities as well as with our many Christians partners, deepening the interreligious cooperation for the good of the wider world,” said Sauca. “In our globalized situation, our work in interreligious dialogue, cooperation and peacemaking holds the prospect of a genuine fraternity among religious communities to address conflicts but also to prevent them, to make and keep peace but also to root it in the hearts of people.” Nonetheless, the challenges posed by interreligious encounter also push us to address many tough questions, Sauca added. “We cannot pretend that the path of interreligious dialogue, cooperation and peacemaking is an easy one,” he said. “But this is where God calls us to go, trusting in God’s accompaniment of us, and in God’s good purposes for the whole of creation.” In closing remarks, H.E. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, congratulated the winners of the Bridge Builder Award. “COVID-19 has highlighted just how important it is that the global community works to promote peace and understanding,” he said. “The pandemic has exposed the fault lines in our world and deepened divisions,” he said. “If there’s one lesson we have learned, it’s the lesson of interconnectedness.” As has been said many times, he added, no one is safe until everyone is safe. “As faith leaders you play a vital role in promoting the values in your own communities and around the world.” The WCC receives the 2021 Bridge Builder Award together with His Excellency Dr Mohammad Bin Abdulkarim Al-issa of the World Muslim League and His Excellency Chief Rabbi Michael Melchior of the Religious Peace Initiative. Read full speech by Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca (available in English, French, German, Spanish and Arabic) For all speeches, watch livestream from the event Bridge Builder Award ceremony 2021 WCC honored with Bridge Builder Award 2021 (WCC press release of 2 July 2021) |
No comments:
Post a Comment