Conference at U of A to address religion, violence link
Jodie Sinnema, Edmonton Journal
Published: Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Spiritual leader Aga Khan will be among speakers at a conference at the University of Alberta this fall aimed at breaking the link between religion and violence.
Former senator Douglas Roche said the conference - Building World Peace: The Role of Religions and Human Rights - is vital at a time where global terrorism is often done in the name of God, Allah or a higher power.
Along with the Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of the Ismaili Muslims, CTV news anchor Lloyd Robertson and nuclear weapons opponent Jonathan Granoff have been invited to speak at the Oct. 20-22 conference.
“Mass murders, suicide bombings and other acts of violence are shattering the lives of innocent people around the world,” said Roche. “Too often, these acts of violence are committed in the name of religion.”
Roche, who will also speak at the conference, said religions need to start working together and focusing on their commonalities to move beyond mere tolerance to bring about social justice.
“The crisis of our time requires religions to speak to the consciences of humanity with a message of unity,” Roche said.
South African Bishop Desmond Tutu attracted much attention when he spoke at the last conference in 1998. This time around, Senator Romeo Dallaire, doctor and acupuncturist Steven Aung, former chief of the Assembly First Nations, Ovide Mercredi, and the former head of Canada’s military, General John de Chastelain, have all been invited to participate in the conference.
“We feel it’s important to get a proper understanding of our society that religion is not a cause of violence, it is a cure of violence,” Roche said.
Senator Claudette Tardif, co-chairwoman of the conference, said, “In Canada, we continuously confront the negative consequences of various international events, like the London bombings, the invasion of Iraq and 9-11.”
Tardif said peace must be built by working against hate-based crime and racism in schools, which is often motivated by religious, cultural and ethnic differences.
“We need to discuss the important role that religious representatives and human rights activist can take in order to meet these challenges.”