The Danish Foreign Minister, Per Stig Moeller, the leader of the Islamic Faith Community in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Reis-ul-Ulema Mustafa Ceric, the Grand Mufti of Syria, Ahmed Bader Eddin Hassoun, the President of the Islamic Faith Community in Austria, Professor Anas Schakfeh, and the Bishop of Lolland-Falster, Steen Skovsgaard (Church of Denmark) met for an informal exchange of views in the Foreign Ministry in Vienna today at the invitation of Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik.
The aim of this informal meeting was to seek together ways and means of reducing the tensions of the past days and to give new impetus to the dialogue between the religions in Europe and between Europe and the Muslim world. “This meeting has brought together round the table practical bridge-builders of the inter-faith and inter-cultural dialogue. We have thereby taken a concrete step, which is a credible expression of our will, to begin interacting with each other rather than merely existing side by side. Today’s meeting has built a bridge from Vienna across the Balkans to the Middle East”, Foreign Minister Plassnik declared.
“There is now a clear desire for the pictures of violence and destruction to give way to images of dialogue and cohesion. Our strategy against extremism must be to give a hearing to the voices of moderation, circumspection and reconciliation”, she continued.
Minister Plassnik referred to Austria’s tried and tested contacts with the Muslim world, which Austria as EU Presidency was now using to support the necessary dialogue between the cultures and religions. “With around 350 000 Muslim citizens in Austria, we are aware that Islam is part of the reality of our daily lives. Austria has already proved itself as a meeting place and centre of dialogue by hosting the conference of European Imams in Graz in June 2003 and the conference ‘Islam in a Pluralist World’ in November 2005. The ongoing dialogue between the different religious communities in this country and the authorities serves to solve practical problems and promotes mutual understanding. To that extent — without wishing to sound complacent — the Austrian model is exemplary”, Plassnik declared.
“The cartoon controversy has drawn back the veil on a deep-seated unease, with which we need to deal more effectively. Europe therefore extends both hands in an offer of dialogue: inwards towards the Muslim communities in our own countries, and outwards towards Muslim communities all over the world. Our tolerance doubtless had shortcomings, and in part may also have been a cover for indifference. We now seek communication and want to build on a solid foundation of values. Instead of a clash of civilisations, we need an alliance against violence and for mutual respect. The Islamic communities living in Europe can play an important role as mediators here”, Plassnik said.
Follow this link to read the key messages distributed by Foreign Minister Plassnik to the media after the meeting.
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