As rapporteur of the European year of intercultural dialogue it is a particular pleasure to participate in this debate and hopefully it will help to ensure the persistency of this essential year. Europe is a union of diversity. Naturally this also includes a religious diversity, which should be enhanced. This is exactly why I pleaded for the inclusion of inter-religious dialogue into the final rapport. Fortunately I was successful in this undertaking, even if it was only through a small majority. The sensitivity and difficulty of this subject is undeniable on the local level but also on the European level. Proven through the reluctance of the Commission and the Council reluctant to include the word religion, extended the concept to the word believe.
« Diversity is the European identity ». The European year of intercultural dialogue allows us to give a new impulse on all levels. We should learn to be more open-minded, learn about the history and communicate about the differences between each other in order to ensure a long-term peaceful together. We need to understand and accept diversity. Religion is a key component in people’s identity as well as in the way in which they integrate.
The dialogue between religion and politics means acquaintance with our past and with our most inner identity at the same time. In the Lisbon Treaty, we clearly expressed our engagement towards churches which opens up new dimensions regarding dialogue with these churches. For us Christian Democrat politicians, the role and the importance of the various churches in today’s European society are obvious. I say this, knowing that European churches have also been going through significant changes. However the guidance of different churches regarding society also largely influences the 21st century Europe. Christian values are included in the European project in democracy, social politics, minority politics or the social market economy. Churches should not play the role of power institutions. The values encounter in the Christian faith transcend the latter. These values bring people from all social levels together, connects them and they can actively participate in events organised by different religious bodies.
In the framework of inter-religious dialogue, it is very important that European citizens clearly understand the opinion and the ideas of each religion through education and history. Getting to know one another is crucial to avoid the so-called « clash of civilisations ». In the Europe today the Islamic faith is still a minority and ignorance is our greatest enemy.
The role of the inter-religious dialogue is indeed changing, reformists planning to modernise the Islam and also the Christianity has undergone some changes over the last decades. However, this should not be a debate about the one or the other side. The inter-religious dialogue has to rise above its clichés. There are so many other themes cross-cutting this debate. For instance, the role of women in religion. This is exactly why we are planning a conference, together with the EPP-ED group, on « women and spirituality ».
It should be our common ambition to end this year with a concrete outcome, in order to create a set of tools and instruments which we can continue to use in the future. To continue with an unbiased dialogue.
These tools should help European citizens to better know each other, to learn their common history, to elaborate a common methodology for teaching this history. Finally learning how to live together in peace, should help us better listening to each other and thus prepare people for cultural and religious pluralism. The end of 2008 should not be the end of the year for intercultural dialogue but the beginning of an action for the future.