” “"Dialogue among different religions is a key factor in the European integration process. It is therefore an honour for us and a great satisfaction to have here today the leaders of the religious communities of the continent, with whom we can discuss the values that we share and that we would like to apply to our daily life". José Manuel Barroso, president of the EU Commission, introduced the "brainstorming" session with the religious leaders which began in the afternoon at Berlaymont (the seat of the Executive Commission in Brussels) and which will go on for three hours. "An open confrontation with no preordained conclusions; an opportunity to exchange opinions to reflect on such key issues as human dignity, fundamental freedoms, mutual respect, confrontation of different cultures". Barroso was assisted by Austrian prime minister Wolfgang Schüssel, who in these six months chairs the EU Council, and by the deputy president of the Executive Committee, Margot Wallström. The community leaders (Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, Buddhist, Islamic, Jewish) included mgr. Adrianus Van Luyn, bishop of Rotterdam and president of Comece (Commission of EU Bishoprics), cardinal José da Cruz Policarpo, patriarch of Lisbon, and cardinal Christoph Schönborn, archbishop of Vienna. (to be continued)” “
