Almost 200 imams and rabbis holding each other’s hand in a long chain of solidarity against every form of violence and fundamentalism: that’s the final image of the first “world congress of imams and rabbis for peace”, which was held in Brussels from 3 to 6 January and which brought together hundreds of Moslem and Jewish spiritual leaders and experts of the two religions, as well as representatives of the Christian and Catholic world. The event was organized by the Foundation “Hommes de parole” in Geneva with the patronage of His Majesty Mohammed VI, king of Morocco, and His Majesty Albert II, king of Belgium, with the objective explain the promoters of “de-legitimizing every form of violence committed in the name of God or of a religious principle”. The congress was attended by representatives of the Jewish and Moslem communities from Africa, Europe, the Middle East and America. During four days of talks and round tables held in public, the religious leaders affirmed “their determination to develop dialogue and partnership between Islam and Judaism”. The Congress ended with a solemn commitment to “work to help put an end to bloodshed and attacks against innocent beings that violate the right to life and the dignity given to man by the Almighty”. The final declaration signed by the leaders present at the Congress in Brussels is subdivided into five parts in which imams and rabbis ask their communities to “combat hatred and ignorance” in order to build “together a world of peace”. They appeal to their political leaders to “work for just and lasting peaceful solutions everywhere in the world, and in particular in the Holy Land. They pledge themselves to the defence of human rights and ask religious leaders to “regularly address sermons and messages to their own communities on the importance of interreligious respect and the defence of human life”. At the end of the Congress, a joint committee was set up, composed of 6 representatives from the Moslem world and 6 from the Jewish world, which will regularly meet and have the task of monitoring respect for the commitments assumed and formulating projects to improve mutual relations and dialogue.
