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CONCLUSIONS OF INTER-RELIGIOUS MEETING IN TEHRAN

VATICAN CITY, 16 NOV 2010 (VIS) - The Centre for Inter-Religious Dialogue of
the Islamic Culture and Relations Organisation (Tehran, Iran) and the
Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue held their seventh colloquium
in Tehran from 9 to 11 November under the joint presidency of Mohammad Baqer
Khorramshad, president of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organisation, and
of Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-
religious Dialogue.

At the end of the meeting the participants (seven in the delegation led by
Mohammad Baqer Khorramshad and six in the delegation led by Cardinal Tauran),
agreed upon the following:

(1) Believers and religious communities, based on their faith in God, have a
specific role to play in society, on an equal footing with other citizens.

(2) Religion has an inherent social dimension that the State has the obligation
to respect; therefore, also in the interest of society, it cannot be confined
to private sphere.

(3) Believers are called to co-operate in the search for common good, on the
basis of a sound relation between faith and reason.

(4) It is necessary for Christians and Muslims as well as all believers and
persons of good will, to co-operate in answering modern challenges, promoting
moral values, justice and peace and protecting the family, environment and
natural resources.

(5) Faith, by its very nature, requires freedom. Therefore, religious freedom,
as a right inherent to human dignity, must always be respected by individuals,
social actors and the State. The cultural and historical background of each
society which is not in contradiction with human dignity should be taken into
consideration in applying this fundamental principle.

(6) Education of the young generation should be based on the search for truth,
spiritual values and promotion of knowledge.

The participants also emphasised the necessity of continuing on the path of a
genuine and fruitful dialogue. The next colloquium will take place in Rome in
2012.
OP/VIS 20101116 (330)

SUMMARY

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