A common impetus

A “cordial”, “sincere and fruitful” meeting “aimed at the good of European citizens” that “extends its glance beyond Europe”. Participants jointly delivered positive evaluations of the meeting of faith leaders with the Presidents of the EU Institutions held in Brussels on May 30. Talks focused on democracy inside and outside the EU, development and social justice, respect of individual and collective rights and religious freedom. Freedom of religion, minorities. “In today’s meeting we underlined that a democracy is such and it works only if it acknowledges and respects freedom of religion”. Cardinal Reinhard Marx, Archbishop of Munich (Germany), COMECE (Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community) figured among the Catholic Church delegation attending the annual meeting between EU institutions (Council, European Parliament, Commission) and EU27 religious communities. “We are concerned about the situation of religious minorities in Arab countries”, Marx said referring to the ongoing events in Northern Africa and in the Middle East”. “We should ask ourselves whether this Country is proceeding towards full democracy, entailing the respect of the rights of minority groups”. Along with Cardinal Marx, also Msgr. Adrianus Van Luyn, (Bishop of Rotterdam, The Netherlands), COMECE President, and Cardinal Kaminierz Nycz (Archbishop of Warsaw, Poland) were part of the Catholic Church delegation. Wojtyla, a great European. “Christians are the natural allies of all those who love freedom”, said Cardinal Kaminierz Nycz during the meeting. Nycz particularly asked the EU institutions “to stand for religious freedom in the southern Mediterranean”, recalling that this fundamental right “not only covers freedom of worship but, most of all, freedom of conscience”. Msgr. Adrianus van Luyn regretted that the coexistence of different religious communities in the Middle-East and North Africa “was often manipulated to set them against each other”. Referring to the project of the Order of the Dominicans to create an Open University in Baghdad, Mgr van Luyn recalled that Churches in the Middle East and North Africa “are promoting similar projects of education, intercultural dialogue and citizenship”, which, he trusts the European Commission will support and partner. The outcome of the meeting was presented in a press conference, during which, on several occasions, the speakers recalled the figure of John Paul II, “a great supporter of the European cause,” a “man of peace and dialogue between religions”. Democracy and social justice. The heads of the EU Commission, Parliament and Council represented EU institutions. “Our task and ambition is to promote democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, human rights and social justice not only in Europe but also in our neighbourhood. I strongly believe these challenges cannot be met without the active contribution of the religious communities”. Commission president José Manuel Barroso, thus commented on the gathering attended by some twenty senior representatives of Christian Churches, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism. “Today’s discussion – he underlined – confirmed our common commitment to the promotion of democratic rights and liberties, including freedom of religion and of belief”. Jerzy Buzek, the President of the European Parliament added: “Religious communities are of paramount importance for the social fabric in EU countries. This is also true for the dynamic changes in our neighbourhood”. “In order to be fully effective, as part of its neighbourhood policy, the EU needs to cooperate on the ground with religious groups on issues ranging from education and health care to rebuilding post-conflict societies”.History and values. “Let us not forget history”, warned Herman Van Rompuy, the President of the European Council. “It is on the march in North Africa and the Arab world. This long march to freedom and justice. Precisely the values that are rooted in the European Treaties”. Van Rompuy underlined that the European Community “was erected on the ashes of the World War and after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Many countries and populations in Northern Africa and in the Arab world are on the path towards freedom, and we must be at their side”. This “is not then the time for us Europeans, to become less open, less tolerant, more selfish or materialistic, even more racist. Values can not survive without spiritual, religious or ethical impetus”.