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MANILA, Philippines -- Pope Benedict XVI supports the country’s interfaith initiative when he urged the General Assembly on Friday (New York time) to support inter-religious dialogue as a means to help the world body achieve its goals of peace, development, and human rights, the Philippine Mission to the United Nations said.
In what is only the third time that the leader of the Roman Catholic Church addressed the General Assembly, the Pope said the UN should support inter-religious dialogue "just as it supports dialogue in other areas of human activity."
According to the Philippine mission, the Pope told diplomats and UN officials: "The United Nations can count on the results of dialogue between religions and can draw fruit from the willingness of believers to place their experiences at the service of the common good."
"The United Nations remains a privileged setting in which the Church is committed to contributing her experience ‘of humanity,’ developed over the centuries among peoples of every race and culture and placing it at the disposal of all members of the international community," the Pontiff said.
In a statement e-mailed to media outfits here, Ambassador Hilario Davide Jr., Philippine Permanent Representative to the UN, lauded the Pope's reference to inter-religious dialogue during his address before the 62nd Session of the UN General Assembly. He said the Pope’s statement underscores the relevance and urgency of the Philippine initiative that was launched four years ago.
"The subject of interfaith dialogue is very dear to the Philippines because it is the leading proponent of this initiative in the United Nations," said Davide shortly after hearing the Holy Father's address. "The Pope's message goes to show that the Philippines is proceeding on the right track."
The former Philippine chief justice said that for almost 60 years, the UN had avoided the consideration of the role of religions in the attainment of the goals of the UN, until the General Assembly adopted in 2004 the resolution introduced by the Philippines on interfaith dialogue as another option in realizing a durable peace.
Davide noted that all the topics discussed by the Holy Father in his address are multilaterally agreed agenda items with the exception of interfaith dialogue, the only state-driven initiative highlighted by the Pontiff that has gained broad support from member-states, including the Holy See.
The Philippines is the recognized proponent of interfaith dialogue in the United Nations having launched this initiative in 2004 with the Tripartite Forum on Interfaith Cooperation for Peace followed by the Ministerial Meeting on Interfaith Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace.
