'Not a day goes by without events in the world reminding us of the unavoidable impact of the religious in the public sphere,’ said Peter Maurer, Secretary of State at the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, at the opening of this year’s annual conference of Political Affairs Division IV of the FDFA in the Swiss capital, Bern, on 14 October. Rajmohan Gandhi, the President of Initiatives of Change International was one of the guest speakers on this year’s theme: ‘When religions and worldviews meet’.

Panel: Peter Maurer, Rajmohan Gandhi and Amira Rasul Bernardo: (Photo: Adriana Borra)

The one-day conference looked at the role of ‘religions as value systems that serve as reference for groups of people, which act as spectacles through which we view the reality around us,’ and at their role in promoting peace and resolving conflicts, while steering clear of theological debates.

Amina Rasul Bernardo, a Muslim leader from the Philippines, David Glass, a member of the Israeli orthodox party Shas, Bob Roberts, an American evangelical minister and Peter Maurer took part with Mr Gandhi in a panel-workshop on ‘Peace: discovering unpaved ways. The need to involve all actors’. Although on paper, the speakers seemed to be from very different perspectives, even in opposition to one another, they all agreed on the need for dialogue with the opposing party as essential in any peace process.

A question from Ambassador Suhail Khalil Shuaiber during the panel ‘Peace: discovering unpaved ways’.

David Glass for example quoted the spiritual leader of his party, Rabbi Ovadia Yoseph, who said, ‘In order for there to be peace, we could give up every bit of Israeli territory. Although the land is sacred for the Jews, peace is more important.’ Mrs Rasul Bernardo reminded participants that at a local level, spiritual leaders are often trusted by their communities, so it is vital to include them in the dialogue with other communities. ‘Neighbours, when isolated, look for extreme solutions,’ she warned. But ‘Bridges can grow between people faster than between communities.’ Mr Gandhi agreed, adding that in conflict resolution, trust must be accorded to the local populations, since they were the first victims of conflict. He added, ‘Most people are powerless. So if they engage together, they can have strength. Switzerland is a good example of people’s power so ordinary people connecting together can have and impact.’

Bob Roberts and David Glass

The workshop on the role of NGOs in conflict prevention underlined the importance of understanding belief systems when analyzing the context and the roots of conflict. Faith Based Organisations (FBO) like NOGs can build bridges in spite of different languages by finding the communalities, common views or values when they do work together on specific practical projects, with transparency and no hidden agendas. Islam was very present in the discussions, reflecting the important place that this religion holds in the news headlines. The recent Swiss vote banning the construction of minarets was raised, during a discussion on the role of the media, and in the conclusions of the day, which focussed more on Switzerland.

In tackling this subject from different angles, the conference highlighted what is at stake in peace-building: the vital need to promote dialogue between religions and civilizations, to seek for common values on which to base our living together, the need to empower individuals and to improve awareness and training for journalists and the media. The Swiss Secretary of State concluded, ‘To establish trust and to promote peaceful coexistence, words must be followed by deeds, in the shape of specific projects.’

>> For more information on the conference:

>> Interview with Rajmohan Gandhi in the 'Berner Zeitung'