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March 2009

Violence and Peace chalenges of religions.

Peace Workshop, Katmandu (Nepal), May 2009. Peace prospects between India and Pakistan-exploring the religious roots of conflict.

A peace workshop about the South Asia peace stakes will be held the 11th, 12th, 13th May 2009. Because of the diversity of the regional conflicts, in particular the Indo-Pakistani conflict, this workshop will not take place in India nor in Pakistan but in a third country: Nepal (in the city of Katmandu). The workshop is co-organized by Irenees, Pipal Tree, and the Katmandu Institute of the Human Rights. About twenty personalities will be present (Pakistanis, Indians, Nepalese…)

The main issues of this meeting will concern two of the most important threats to peace in that region:

  • The Indo-Pakistani conflict on the one hand.

  • The inter-religious violences, especially between Hindus and muslims fundamentalists on the other hand.

The two main thrusts of the meeting will be on:

  • The Indo-Pakistani conflict stakes in a view of a long-lasting peace construction. Is it possible to imagine peace scenarios? If yes, how? Politicians, intellectuals, and religious leaders will be attending the workshop.

  • The religious fundamentalism as a factor of conflict in the South but also Central Asia region . Hindus, muslims, buddhists may enrich the reflexion by their knowledge and their experiences. Try to understand how the process is lead: What links can be established between fundamentalism, politics, violence and peace? Can dialogue between fundamentalists among themselves can be created? And with laymen?

The aim of this meeting has two goals:

  • To put together around the same table groups who consider themselves for political, religious and other reasons different, separated and sometimes foes and try to make them communicate.

  • Encourage a reformulation of the regional conflicts to approach them not only from the point view of the conflicts but also by putting them in the prospect of construction of a long-lasting peace.

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