HOLY SEE ADDRESSES U.N. ON "DIALOGUE AMONG CIVILIZATIONS"

VATICAN CITY, NOV 10, 2001 (VIS) - Archbishop Renato Martino, apostolic nuncio and Holy See permanent observer to the U.N. spoke before the Plenary Assembly yesterday on Item 25: "United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations."

Recalling that the U.N. has declared 2001 the "International Year of Dialogue Among Civilizations," the archbishop said that "The impact of the brutal and unprecedented attacks of 11 September are forcing all of us to consider the urgency of the dialogue among civilizations and to intensify our hopes as this International Year draws to a close."

He highlighted the General Assembly resolution stating that "civilizations are not confined to individual nation-States, but rather encompass different cultures within the same civilization." And he added that "There is a close connection between the particular culture of a people and its identity as a nation. ... History shows that ... not even the powerful ideological systems of colonialism and totalitarianism were able, and neither will terrorism be able, to suppress the universal need for a particular and unique cultural life."

The archbishop observed that "A true dialogue between cultures requires a respect for differences. Much too often, ... ethnic and religious differences have been used as a justification for brutal conflict, genocide, and persecution. There have also been problems where one religious group has sought to expel members of another religion from a country, often with threats and actual violence. Authentic culture cannot be built upon the practice of religious persecution. ... Meaningful dialogue among civilizations cannot take place in the absence of religious freedom."

The nuncio said in conclusion: "No authentic dialogue can take place if it fails to respect life. There can be no peace or dialogue among civilizations when this fundamental right is not protected. ... Yet the world is still plagued by a number of attacks on life. When the human dignity of the weakest and most vulnerable members of society is not duly recognized, respected and protected, all civilizations suffer."

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