“War is not unavoidable” says final message of Prayer Meeting in Assisi

(06 Sept.2006): - “ War is not unavoidable. Everything is possible with peace”. That was the message endorsed by leaders of diverse religious groups at the conclusion of the 20th Inter-religious Meeting of Prayer for Peace, held in the Italian hill town of Assisi this week. The concluding statement released in the evening on September 5, as the meeting ended, insisted that religion must never be used as a justification for hatred and violence. Those who use the name of God to destroy others, betray true religion”, it said and added “There are many problems in the world today.Yet, we do not surrender to the culture of conflict. World wars, genocides, mass oppression and totalitarian ideologies destroyed millions of lives and have not transformed the world as they had promised.” More than 150 religious leaders from around the world attended the Inter faith meeting Sept. 4-5, sponsored by the Rome-based St. Egidio Community "Those spreading terror, death and violence in the name of God must remember that peace is the name of God. God is stronger than those who want war, cultivate hatred and live on violence. We believe in dialogue - patient, truthful and sensible. Nothing is lost through dialogue " said the final appeal. This year's meeting was dedicated in a special way to late Pope John Paul II, who launched the Assisi encounter as a way for religions to profess commitment to peace, and who personally presided over the 1986 event. Tributes to the late pope came from members of every faith. Pope Benedict XVI sent a message supporting the interfaith meetings, saying his predecessor had come up with a "prophetic" initiative in an age when religion is sometimes used as a pretext for violence.