| The Third ASEM Interfaith Dialogue Is Held in Nanjing | ||
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From June 19 to 21, 2007, the Third ASEM Interfaith Dialogue was held in Nanjing, China. Simayi Aimaiti, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), attended and addressed the opening ceremony of the dialogue, which was co-chaired by Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai and Italian Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs Gianni Vernetti and attended by government, religious and academic representatives from ASEM members. The theme of this third Interfaith Dialogue is "Deepening Interfaith Dialogue for Peace, Development and Harmony." The representatives discussed what role the Interfaith Dialogue should play in dealing with globalization, promoting peace, strengthening social cohesion and development and promoting cultural and educational cooperation. The dialogue adopted the Chairmen's Statement. The dialogue called on the ASEM members to respect the diversity of social systems, development paths, and cultures, and work together to meet the challenges of globalisation; reaffirmed the need to prevent and fight against any form of terrorism and opposed connecting terrorism with particular ethnic, religious or racial groups; stressed the importance of realizing the Millennium Development Goals in a timely and comprehensive manner to eliminating poverty, advancing development and realizing common prosperity; and called on the ASEM members to strengthen cultural and educational cooperation. The ASEM Interfaith Dialogue was proposed by the 5th ASEM Summit, with the goal of increasing understanding of different beliefs, realizing their harmonized co-existence and safeguarding regional and global stability. The First and Second ASEM Interfaith Dialogues were held in 2005 in Bali, Indonesia and the Second ASEM Interfaith Dialogue was held in 2006 in Larnaca, Cyprus. The Fourth ASEM Interfaith Dialogue will be held in 2008 in the Netherlands. |
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