The 6th Asia Pacific Regional Interfaith Dialogue

The 6th Asia Pacific Interfaith Dialogue discussed peace and fusionin in religions

This year’s Asia Pacific interfaith dialogue was held on 12th March 2012, it began with an opening ceremony at the Governor’s Hall in Central Java of Indonesia’s city called Semarang. Under the New Zealand Private Secretary of Minister of Ethnic Affair’s Melissa Lee’s leading, New Zealand had various religious representatives altogether 13 people participated in this meeting. The various religious representatives in New Zealand included the Muslim representative, Dr Anwar Ghani, the Christian representative, Reverend Uesifilli Unasa, the Catholic representative, Sister Catherine Jones, Buddhist representatives, Fo Guang Shan New Zealand Venerable Abbess Manshin and Daniela Astrid Klein, The Hinduism representative, Selva Ramasami, Judaism representatives, Todd Nachowitz and Paul Morris and Sikhism representative, Prithipal Singh Basra and many other more. This year’s meeting altogether surpassed 13 Asian countries, more than 100 representatives attended, all gave precious comments for the fusion of religions subject.

All the attending religious representatives are experienced in the promotion of the safety of the community and peace in religion. Abbess Manshin received the invitation for closely leading the local Buddhist Light people and the Police Academy where Abbess was the patron for the number 261 team, giving lectures to the community, promoting multidirectional development in the local area as well as assisting, supporting and contributing in the relief of the Christchurch earthquake and many other contributions.

In the opening ceremony the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador A.M Fachir first carried on the related report, afterward Javan governor delivered a welcome speech. The Australian Government representative, New Zealand Government representative and the Philippine Government representative successively made speeches too. During the discussion various religious representatives shared thoughts on establishing a civilized community, on enhancing peace in the community, on promoting interactions with religions and how to promote peace and security through education.

New Zealand Private Secretary of Minister of Ethnic Affair’s Melissa Lee on behalf of the New Zealand Government expressed that they fully supported the discussion between different religions. She also hoped that the New Zealand’s team in this year’s meeting could pass out to everyone the message of religion fusion and hopes every religious representative could understand the importance, the power, the meaning of fusing all the religions together.

The first day of the interfaith dialogue was very successful; during the meeting all the religious representatives met a mutual recognition on peace and having a rich experience in practicing peace in reality. In the next few meetings the groups will continue analyzing and discussing in the related questions, hoping that the discussion will assist different religions to have a more concrete help to various religious peace and community’s security.