Women building a Culture of Encounter Interreligiously

The event, from 25-27 January at the Pontifical Urbanian University in Rome, is being organised in collaboration with the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations.

In a statement, the Dicastery for Promoting Interreligious Dialogue noted the multiple goals of the three-day conference.

“The event, on the one hand, aims to listen to interreligious initiatives from different contexts and, on the other, to develop a global network of religious traditions and spiritualities which, through the promotion of a ‘culture of encounter’ as well as of their own dignity and equality, can work together in solidarity for a growing re-humanisation of society through friendship, dialogue and cooperation.”

The World Council of Churches (WCC) was represented by Carla Khijoyan, WCC program executive for Peace Building in the Middle East. She spoke about narratives of building a culture of encounter.

“In the Middle East, different cultural, ethnic, and religious groups have lived together for thousands of years without the need of any kind of ‘interreligious encounter’ since they shared a dialogue of life,” she said. “Confrontation happens in a diverse group when some feel threatened by the others and the sentiment of fear defines the relationship.”

“Solidarity is a hand-in-hand encounter on the journey of justice and peace,” she said. “Restoration is a journey and not an outcome.”

In order to root peace building in sustainable efforts, Khijoyan added, we are to focus on journeys and processes.

“Women and men are equally actors and owners of the dynamics within our societies,” she said. “Women are not ‘variables’ in this equation but ‘constants.’”

Goals of the Conference “Women building a culture of encounter interreligiously”

Working towards a culture of encounter requires wider acknowledgement and promotion of women’s inherent dignity and participation. “We, as a people, should be passionate about meeting others, seeking points of contact, building bridges, planning a project that includes everyone. This becomes an aspiration and a style of life” (Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti 216). Thus, the guiding principle to create a culture of encounter and inclusion is that we should respect and dialogue with all people, men and women, just as we desire to be respected by others.

The promotion of women’s equal dignity and rights should also be reflected in interreligious dialogue and cooperation. Accordingly, we need to include more women at dialogue tables, where they are still outnumbered by men. Women have unique and indispensable gifts to bring to the building of this culture of encounter: among others, an inclination to listen to, understand, and care for the other, a persevering presence in the midst of difficulty, and maternal wisdom to make concrete and to nourish the desires and aspirations of our wounded humanity.

Respecting and admiring the contribution of women, the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue in collaboration with the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations and the Pontifical Urban University, seek to open a dialogue with women of other religious traditions to talk, walk and work together to foster a better world where each upholds the dignity of all.

To this end, an in-person gathering will be held in Rome from 25-27 January 2023 at the Pontifical Urban University to further reflect on the “culture of encounter” from various female and interreligious perspectives, so as to work together on applying principles of dialogue in their contexts.

The forthcoming conference and succeeding dialogues intend:

a. To appreciate and encourage the role of women and women’s leadership in social, economic, religious and political life at local, national and international levels;
b. To rediscover how our respective religious classics, saints/sages, religious arts and music can be shared to reawaken our spiritual energy, to heal us and the world;
c. To learn from the stories of women in fostering interreligious dialogue and a culture of encounter.

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