>>> VERSION FRANÇAISE | |||
Inter-Parliamentary Union | |||
Chemin du Pommier 5, C.P. 330, CH-1218 Le Grand-Saconnex/Geneva, Switzerland |
BETWEEN ALL RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES AND BELIEFS IN A GLOBALIZED WORLD Resolution adopted by consensus* by the 116th Assembly (Nusa Dua, Bali, 4 May 2007)
Affirming that tolerance, recognition and acceptance of cultural, ethnic, religious and linguistic diversity, and dialogue among and within civilizations are essential for respect, peaceful co-existence and cooperation among individuals and people in their diversity of belief, culture and language, and that differences within and between societies should be neither feared nor repressed, but rather cherished as a precious asset of humanity, Underlining the importance of promoting understanding, tolerance, mutual respect and friendship among human beings in their diversity of religion, belief, culture and language, and recalling the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable human rights and fundamental freedoms of all members of the human family, universal respect for which all States have an obligation to observe, protect and encourage, Recognizing that all religions have made valuable contributions to civilization and that there are common values shared by all humankind, Recalling the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in particular the rights to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief, and in Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Further recalling the Global Agenda for Dialogue among Civilizations and the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), as well as the principles contained therein, Welcoming the entry into force, on 18 March 2007, of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, Recalling that the IPU, through the resolutions it adopted at the 102nd (Berlin, 1999) and 103rd (Amman, 2000) Inter-Parliamentary Conferences and at the 110th IPU Assembly (Mexico City, 2004), has inter alia resolved to promote dialogue among civilizations and cultures, has emphasized the potential contribution of parliaments to the peaceful co-existence of ethnic, cultural and religious minorities and to international reconciliation, and has called upon all States to adopt appropriate measures to ensure mutual respect and cooperation among ethnic, cultural and religious communities, Recalling the adoption of the 2005 United Nations World Summit Outcome, which acknowledges the importance of respect and understanding for religious and cultural diversity throughout the world, Welcoming all national, regional and international initiatives which seek to establish or enrich reciprocal knowledge, interfaith dialogue and mutual respect, Commending the valuable contribution made by initiatives such as the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, the Bali Declaration on Building Interfaith Harmony within the International Community, the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, the Dialogue among Civilizations and Cultures, the Strategy of Enlightened Moderation, the Informal Meeting of Leaders on Interfaith Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace and the Islam-Christianity Dialogue, which are all mutually inclusive, reinforcing and interrelated, Recognizing that religions often play a central role in society in terms of their contribution to shaping social and family organizations and internalizing fundamental values that can and must help build a more tolerant and respectful society, Recognizing that interfaith dialogue and understanding, including the awareness of differences and commonalities among peoples and civilizations, contribute to the peaceful resolution of conflicts and disputes, reduce the potential for animosity, clashes or violence and enable people to perceive ethnic, cultural or religious diversity as a source of cultural enrichment, Emphasizing that interfaith dialogue should focus on what religions have in common instead of what divides them, and serve to strengthen relations between cultures and civilizations and resolve practical problems, while at the same time avoiding the entrenchment, or even creation, of artificial ethnic, cultural or religious identities or fault lines within and between societies, Stressing that the focus on dialogue between civilizations and cultures must not be invoked to justify discriminatory laws and practices within cultures and civilizations, especially regarding women, children and the elderly, and that respect and tolerance for other cultures and civilizations must always be rooted in the overarching principle of respect for the human rights protecting every human being, regardless of sex, race, religion or political affiliation, Emphasizing, therefore, the need, at all levels of society and among nations, to strengthen freedom, justice, respect for human rights, democracy, tolerance, solidarity, cooperation, pluralism, respect for diversity of culture and religion or belief, dialogue and understanding, which are important elements for preserving and consolidating peace and security at the national, regional and international levels, Alarmed by the reappearance of religious extremism and xenophobic expressions worldwide and noting that interfaith dialogue and religious freedom are effective means of fighting the scourge of intolerance, Seriously concerned at all attacks upon religious places, sites and shrines, including any deliberate destruction of relics and monuments, Alarmed that instances of intolerance and discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief, including acts of violence, intimidation and coercion motivated by religious intolerance, are on the increase in many parts of the world and threaten the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms, such as the freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and recalling that the use of violence in the name of religion can never be justified, Alarmed by attempts to attribute acts of terrorism to any religion, Condemning any display of xenophobia, racism and intolerance towards immigrants and ethnic, cultural and religious minorities, and emphasizing that combating hatred, prejudice, intolerance and stereotyping on the basis of religion or culture represents a significant global challenge that requires further action, Recalling that parliament is the institution that embodies par excellence the diverse attributes and opinions of society and reflects and channels this diversity in the political process, and that its mission is to defuse tensions with the aim of strengthening social cohesion and solidarity, Underscoring the particular obligation of parliaments and their members to defend and promote the rights of persons belonging to ethnic, cultural and religious minorities, thereby creating a society in which every individual enjoys all civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, in particular freedom of worship and the right to freely practice a religion, under democratic principles and conditions, Convinced that parliaments can help facilitate understanding and cooperation among States and peoples and promote dialogue, tolerance, mutual respect and understanding among civilizations, thus helping to prevent and counter armed conflicts and terrorism, Recalling that, according to its Statutes, one of the purposes of the IPU is to work towards peace and cooperation among peoples, and recognizing the significant role that the IPU can play in enhancing interaction between societies and peoples and promoting dialogue among different civilizations, Further underscoring the growing role played by the press, in particular the global media (satellite television channels and the Internet) in shaping the image that the members of different civilizations and religious communities have of each other, Reiterating that freedom of expression and freedom of the press are, as undeniable fundamental rights, two pillars of democracy, two long-awaited freedoms for which societies and individuals have long fought against tyranny and oppression, Reaffirming that freedom of expression should be exercised in such a way as not to incite hatred, racism, xenophobia or human rights violations, Stressing the crucial role of education in promoting a better understanding of other cultures and civilizations, a spirit of tolerance and the principle of non-discrimination towards all persons, A. Role of parliaments in ensuring respect for and peaceful co-existence between all religious communities and beliefs on the national level
B. Role of parliaments in ensuring respect for and peaceful co-existence between all religious communities and beliefs in a globalized world
C. Role of inter-parliamentary cooperation in ensuring respect for and peaceful co-existence between all religious communities and beliefs in a globalized world
* The Arab Group expressed a reservation on operative paragraph 5.
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