TEHRAN(Basirat): Participants in the third seminar of dialogue between Islam and Buddhism emphasized the role of religious leaders in promoting peace all over the world.

The seminar of 'Dialogue between Islam and Buddhism: Interfaith Visions
for Humanity' was held on March 15-16 in the Thai university
Chulalongkorn and Heritage Hotel in Bangkok.
The event was an
initiative by the cultural attaché office of Iran's embassy in Thailand,
held in cooperation with Chulalongkorn University and some local Muslim
groups.
On the first day of the seminar, that was attended by
the representative of the Thai minister of culture, a number of Buddhist
monks from Myanmar and Sri Lanka, and some Iranian officials, the
chancellor of the Thai university Bundhit Eua-arporn described the
seminar as a step toward dialogue and more amity among the followers of
religions.
In the final statement, the participants declared,
'religion’s leaders and scholars should denounce, oppose and condemn
those who destroy peace among us in the name of religion in order to
prevent crisis in human societies which could lead to using weapons to
start wars or conflicts.'
'Neither Islam, nor Buddhism,
inherently, allows violence and harassment, discrimination and
deprivation towards followers of other religions, they always recommend
peace and kindness towards other people. All types of intolerance,
extremism and violence using religious coverage as followers duties, are
condemned and disgusted and opposed by all participants in this
seminar.'
The participants also stressed that 'religions have a
significant role in resolving humanitarian issues in contemporary
societies because all religious teachings emphasize believers to keep
moral principles, tranquility, peace, and generosity towards each
other.'
They called for the continuance of religious dialogue, 'particularly the dialogue between Islam and Buddhism'.
The
statement also said that the Center for Interreligious Dialogue of the
Islamic Republic of Iran expressed its readiness to hold next session in
Tehran in 2019.
The required arrangements and co-ordinations
will be done by the Cultural Center of the Embassy of the Islamic
Republic of Iran in Bangkok, according to the statement.
Source:IRNA