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Religions for Peace: Mid-East/N. Afr.

(Nov 23, 2011) As millions of people continue to protest for freedom in their home countries across the Middle East and North Africa and millions more, who have won their freedom from dictatorship this year, struggle to build a new nation, building a country with equality and respect for diversity is at the forefront of these efforts.

Last week, ISNA Director Dr. Mohamed Elsanousi joined leaders from across the Middle East and North Africa in Morocco to develop a mutual plan to promote religious pluralism and the common good of the people in both regions. The conference, "Engaging Historic Faiths to Advance the Common Good in the Middle East and North Africa," featured a series of panels and workshops focusing on respecting religious differences, protecting minorities and human dignity, and advancing the common good.

Religions for Peace, the largest international coalition of representatives from the world's great religions working together to promote peace, convened the conference. ISNA is a long-time active member of Religions for Peace (USA) and helped represent the USA coalition in Morocco.

Dr. Elsanousi spoke on a panel about "Religions and Political Order - Protecting Human Dignity and Advancing the Common Good," where he delivered the following practical recommendations:

States and religious communities must work together to recognize all religions in their country. This recognition must be institutionalized in such that all people are automatically guaranteed the right to have houses of worship, celebrate their high holy days, and worship freely.
Mutual respect must be fostered so that the citizens of a country respect all citizens of diverse religious traditions.
Religious leaders must work together to problem solve for the common good of their nations, rather than against one another.

The leaders developed proactive strategies moving forward to implement in their home countries which they published in "The Marrakesh Declaration," at the end of the weekend. In the declaration, they agreed, among other things,

To develop a "contract of mutual care" between Muslim and Christian communities in the region "in which each community identifies the religious grounds for respecting and protecting the well-being of the other community as a solemn obligation that is linked with the practice of faith."
That the definition of citizenship must be clearly defined in each country to include all religious groups and that the concept must be firmly cemented through clear programs and actions within each country.
They urged the United Nations General Assembly to adopt a new resolution based upon the United Nations Human Rights Council Resolution 16/18 which calls on all states to foster an environment of religious tolerance, peace, and respect.

"As we live in this global village today, we as a religious community are facing problems that are universal and do not associate themselves with just one religious group. Therefore it is important for religious leaders to work together in order to respond to these problems for the purpose of advancing the common good. Religions and religious leaders should be problem-solvers and agents to protect human dignity and the spirit of cooperation," stated Dr. Elsanousi.

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