Press Release
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Father Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E-mail: cathcil@cathcil.org
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version:

PEACE -BUILDING AS AN INVITATION TO SPIRITUALITY
AFFIRMED THE PARTICIPANTS OF MIDDLE EAST-ASIA INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE

The Asia-Middle East interreligious dialogue inaugurated on Sunday 12
November 2006, continued its work in the Armenian Catholicsate of Cilicia
with the leadership of His Holiness Catholicos Aram I.

The representatives of different religions presented papers on
peace-building from the perspective of their on faith traditions. His
Holiness Swami Parmeshananda chaired the meeting. Sheikh Muhammed Najaf (Shi
‘ite Iran) Dr Ugyen Tashi (Tibetan Hindu monk Taiwan), Dr. Muhammed Sammak
(Sunni Lebanon) and Dr. Paul Haydotsian (Christian Lebanon).

Building peace based on love, search for truth and justice is the vocation
of all religions said the speakers. At the end of the session the
participants visited at Dar-al-Fatwa Sheikh Muhammed Kabbani the Mufti of
the Republic of Lebanon. After leaving the Mufti the delegation visited the
ruins of the Israeli invasion in July 2006 in the southern suburbs of
Beirut.

Sacredness of life, a gift and a call to spirituality was the topic of the
afternoon session. Dr. Hisham Nashabe(Sunni) moderated the session and the
Venerable Guo Yuan (Buddhist Taiwan) and Mr. Camil Menassa (Christian,
Lebanon) reflected on the theme. Speakers emphasized the centrality of
protecting all life in their religions.

Following the panels the participants met in two groups to discuss the
presentations of the past two days.

One of the important aspects of the agenda of this meeting is the visits to
religious leaders in their own communities. On Sunday the members of the
dialogue had visited the Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Sfeir. In both visits
the participants appreciated the openness and sincerity of the religious
leaders. The meeting will be concluded on Tuesday 14 November in the
afternoon.

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The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.