The Possibilities of Dialogue
January 2007
Banner photo: Herby Sachs/version-foto.de
Dialogue of Civilizations in Rhodes
The World Public Forum (WPF) held its fourth annual "Dialogue of Civilizations" meeting in Rhodes, Greece, from September 27 through October 1. The forum aimed to promote a constructive exchange of views and a collaborative search for common ground on social development issues related to globalization and inter-civilizational interaction.
Representatives of the SGI and the Institute of Oriental Philosophy (IOP) joined over 600 scholars and researchers from 62 countries, at the invitation of WPF: a multi-sector consultative body that promotes intercultural dialogue and positive social change.
Dr. Kawada
[©Seikyo Shimbun]
There were panel discussions on a broad range of topics related to the theme. Participating in the interfaith dialogues, IOP Director Yoichi Kawada spoke on the theme "A Buddhist Perspective of Peace--Toward Interfaith Dialogue." Referencing SGI President Daisaku Ikeda's ideas about breaking the chains of hatred and reprisal that have resulted in a history of war and violence, he suggested four points on how to promote interfaith dialogue. First, religions should return to the original spirit of their founders--to relieve people's suffering and create a peaceful society. Second, religions should endeavor to discover commonalities and develop mutual understanding. Third, religions should endeavor to learn from other religions and creatively reform their own tenets. Fourth, he stressed the need to adopt "peace" as a principal aim of interfaith dialogue.
Dr. Kawada explained that the Buddhist view of peace means developing one's inner mind of peace into concrete actions as a bodhisattva that create peace in society and the ecosystem.
Bodhisattvas strive to conquer all forms of violence, including structural violence such as discrimination and inequality, in order to realize peace in society. Likewise, he stressed, they work to establish humanity's harmonious coexistence with the natural environment, creating peace of the ecosystem.
