Press Release
19/11/2009EPP Group Bureau Meeting: An Identity of Values for Europe
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Dialogue between religions is a defining characteristic and a pressing challenge of the modern world.
This morning in Venice, the EPP Group Bureau opened its meeting on religious dialogue, which will last until tomorrow. In the presence of 54 Members of the European Parliament, the Austrian Vice-Chairman of the EPP Group, Othmar Karas MEP, chaired the meeting and affirmed that "the development and responsible growth of today's society are only possible through dialogue and the exchange of ideas, in order to share common fundamental values."
Several important religious leaders took the floor: Don Natalino Bonazza, who read out a message from the Cardinal Patriarch of Venice, Angelo Scola, the Archbishop of France, HE Emmanuel, who imparted the blessing of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, and then Metropolitan Ninfon, Rabbi Yitzchack Schochet, President of the Rabbinical Council of the United Synagogues, Hieromonik Philip, on behalf of the Patriarch of Russia Kirill I, George Tsetsis, Grand Presbyter of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and Laura Casorio, Secretary-General of the Federation of Protestant Churches in Italy.
The discussion focused on the role of churches and other European religious institutions in the protection of the European identity and the future challenges in Europe.
Ecumenial Patriarch Bartholomew I expressed in his welcome message the need to proceed with the inter-religious dialogues, which started some 15 years ago between the Orthodox Church and the EPP Group. Religions in Europe are not fossils of old times but have shaped and formed society and gives it values and identity. Interreligious dialogue is an important tool against fanaticism and extremism.
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all of Russia highlighted in his statement that Christianity has formed Europe's values basis and ideas. Europe's Christian identity is immutable in that it cannot be destroyed without destroying the European world itself.
Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet, President of the Rabbinical Council of the United Synagogue, UK, said in his keynote speech: "When we look around us today we see a world that is in a state of emergency as society struggles to keep up with itself. I think more and more people are looking for greater meaning and purpose in their lives today. The economic crisis itself shook enough people to the core to realise that there is more to life than material pursuit." According to Rabbi Schochet, religion makes an invaluable contribution because religion demands consistency and absolute values.
The Head of the PdL Delegation of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, Mario Mauro MEP, welcomed the participants and said: "Nazism, fascism and communism have all had the denial of the religious dimension of the human being in common. Dialogue means going forward together towards the truth with the aim of revealing the true sense of life: the recognition of a presence beyond the human dimension, which is God."
"The Solidarność Movement was born through religion, which then led to the fall of the Berlin Wall. The EU is based on respect for human dignity. Dignity is a word with a religious meaning and only through the recognition of this value are all men equal. The respect for fundamental common values must be the propulsive force of political action", declared Carlo Casini MEP, Head of the Italian Delegation (UDC) of the EPP Group, in his opening speech.
"At the beginning of the third millennium, European citizens are asked to find solutions to the challenges of the modern world with deep commitment and a sense of responsibility. It is necessary to provide adequate answers to the important changes of our society and to realise that we cannot have real development if we do not foster the mutual understanding of peoples, dialogue between cultures and respect for our legitimate differences. It is with this premise that the EPP wants to open a debate and contribute to the growth of the European civil society", declared the President of the European People's Party, Wilfred Martens, at the opening of the EPP Bureau meeting in Venice.
More Information
For further information:
Eduard Slootweg, EPP Group Press Service, Tel: +32-475-721280
Pasquale Ciuffreda, EPP Group Press Service, Tel: +32-477-907370
Notes to Editors:
The EPP Group is by far the largest political group in the European Parliament with 265 Members.
