Khatami: Dialogue only path to peace
Former Iranian President Seyyed Mohammad Khatami
Former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami said that the road to establishment of genuine peace rooted in justice, passes only through the path of dialogue.
“Peace will only be achieved if it is founded upon justice. Hence dialogue serves as a means to this end,” Khatami noted. He made the remarks in an address to the 35th anniversary of the St. Gabriel Dialogue initiative held in Austria's Vienna Academy on Saturday.
He referred to Christians and Muslims as making up half of the world's population, stating that believers of the two religions should work against social crimes and injustice worldwide.
Austrian President Heinz Fischer noted that productive dialogue can only be possible when the parties involved understand that whatever their differences, human commonalities far outweigh them.
Fischer also praised the Vienna International Christian-Islamic Round Table and described its agenda as a practical guide to Christian-Muslim relations.
The Vienna International Christian-Islamic Round Table is an academic initiative launched in 2000 by scholars from disciplines including law, theology and social sciences. It aims to discuss the most important questions concerning today's world, from both the Christian and Muslim perspectives.
The Austrian president concluded that social equity based on peace cannot be attained if it is lacking in justice.
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