Religion in peace-building

A CONFERENCE organised by the European People’s Party (EPP) will begin on Thursday in Nicosia on the role of religion in peace-building and conflict resolution in the Mediterranean region.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Polish MEP Jan Olbrycht said dialogue among Christians, Muslims and Jews was called for given the increasing violence and social hostility against individuals and groups from various religious or belief backgrounds in the broader area of the Mediterranean region.

“Political and religious leaders have the duty at all levels to combat extremism and promote mutual respect among individuals and religious groups,” added Olbrycht, Vice-Chairman of the EPP – the biggest political group in the European Parliament – responsible for Intercultural Activities and Interreligious Dialogue.

Fundamentalism as a factor of political destabilisation, the protection of religious heritage as a sign of civilisation and the coexistence of religions will be the main themes discussed by prominent speakers, representing various religions in the volatile Eastern Mediterranean region.

“Cyprus’ location, in a politically sensitive and volatile geographic area and at the crossroad of faiths and civilisations, offers the perfect platform for such a debate but also stresses the country’s natural role in supporting international efforts to promote security and stability in the region,” said Cypriot MEP and EPP member Eleni Theocharous.

The deliberations of the Intercultural Dialogue will be web streamed and can be followed on the EPP Group’s website.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.