"Let’s guard ethnic and religious peace in Bulgaria": it is the wish expressed by the first meeting of the leaders of all religious confessions existing in Bulgaria, an initiative of the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church that ended yesterday in Sofia. It was also attended by Bulgarian Catholics, with the president of the Bulgarian Bishops Conference, mgr. Hristo Projkov, and the Apostolic Nuncio, Giuseppe Leanza. A joint statement, which condemns violence and the use of religion for hatred and cruelty, was signed at the end by all participants, including the Muslim delegates, in the presence of the vice-muftì Vedat Ahmed, and by the Jewish delegates. "We condemn any incitement against religious and ethnic peace in Bulgaria". A special appeal was made to the mass media, asking them not to broadcast events that offend man’s religious feelings. "This was the first in a sequence of meetings of religious leaders said to SIR the metropolitan bishop of Vidin Dometian We intend to set up a committee for joint initiatives". The next meeting will take place on June 1st on the occasion of the World Children Day. The idea of permanent dialogue was also backed up by the President of the Republic, Georghi Parvanov.
