A CULTURE OF DIALOGUE IN ALL SPHERES OF CULTURE

VATICAN CITY, OCT 23, 2003 (VIS) - Archbishop Francisco Javier Lozano, apostolic nuncio in Croatia, spoke yesterday at the Conference of European ministers of Cultural Affairs which took place in Opatija, Croatia from October 20 to 22.

The head of the delegation of the Holy See said that "the tragic start of the new millennium shows us the evident danger of isolating ourselves, and invites the ministers of Cultural Affairs - this is the great merit of the project that we are discussing - to develop a culture of dialogue among civilizations in all spheres of culture."

"As you know," continued Archbishop Lozano, "Pope John Paul II, from the start of his pontificate, has not stopped travelling the world, inviting men to dialogue and peace, with respect for freedom of conscience and sharing the riches of the spirit."

After emphasizing the "need for dialogue among civil institutions and different religions," the nuncio concluded: "In particular, the Holy See greatly desires that a necessary collaboration with representatives of religions is maintained in order to present them in a just and balanced way in educational programs. One can imagine what the harmful effects would be on younger generations of a presentation that is tendentious or disparaging of religions."

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