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Montreal Interfaith Forum: Toward Peace among Religions
Written by Robert Duffy, UPF-Canada
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Montreal, Canada - After a moment of silent prayer for the earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan, UPF-Montreal's third monthly interfaith forum on March 16 hosted by UPF-Montreal featured the Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism, Mr. Anthony Mansour.
Mr. Anthony Mansour was invited to the podium by Franco Famularo, Secretary General of UPF-Canada. Mr. Mansour first described the work of the Centre, which started in 1952 as a Catholic ecumenical office in Montreal and went on to become one of the preeminent interfaith organizations in Canada (see www.oikoumene.ca).
He then reported on his recent U.S. State Department-sponsored five-city visit in the US, where he exchanged views and ideas on interfaith strategies in the two countries with university departments and other interfaith activists. Sharing a recent poll conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, he highlighted the unusually high percentage of Americans who respond positively to the statement “Religion is very important to me,” compared to Canadian and European responses.
Quoting Tony Blair, he expounded on how in contrast to the 20th century, which was focused on competition among ideologies, the 21st century will focus on peace among religions. Lively discussion ensued, and and the end, two new Ambassadors for Peace were appointed.
The Centre for Canadian Ecumenism has an extensive and specialized interfaith library, to which UPF donated a copy of World Scripture: An Anthology of Sacred Texts.
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