Inter-faith conference calls for top-level global dialogue between religions

MADRID, July 18 (Xinhua) -- The World Conference for Dialogue ended on Friday, with calls for a top-level global dialogue between religions and promoting a culture of tolerance and comprehension.

"We want to take the dialogue onto the world level," including the United Nations, Muslim World League Secretary-General Abdullah al-Turki told the closing session in Madrid.

The three-day meeting, sponsored by Saudi Arabia, brought together some 250 Muslim, Christian and Jewish clergy and other experts on inter-religious understanding.

A final statement, the Madrid Declaration issued at the end of the conference, urged a "culture of tolerance," ranging from as pecial UN session on inter-faith dialogue to governmental and non-governmental cooperation and the use of the media.

It also called for an international agreement to combat terrorism, which it said is a "universal phenomenon that requires unified international efforts."

"Terrorism is one of the most important obstacles in the developing of the dialogue and the connivance, and it is a global phenomena which requires international efforts to face it, with spirit of seriousness, responsibility and equity," the declaration said.

Al-Turki said the Madrid Declaration provided a response to the common interest of boosting the dialogue "in a world level."

Describing the Madrid Conference as "apocalyptic," al-Turki said the meeting did not have to do with any concrete ideology and its participants were chosen due to their knowledge but not because of their affiliations.

The conference had shown that "it is possible to respect our respective faiths" and that "dialogue is the best way to contribute to harmony and peace," Vatican inter-faith specialist Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran said at the closing session.