_WORLD WATCH______________________________
____________________ Egypt ________________

Christian-Islamic peace dialogue
Seeking to douse the flames
Islamic and Christian leaders gathered in Egypt late in October to discuss ways in which they might work together to find peaceful means of resolving differences between Islamic and Western culture. The two-day Islamic-Christian Dialogue brought together representatives of a number of religious bodies from all around the world, including the Swiss-based International Church Council and the Saudi-based International Islamic Forum for Dialogue, along with representatives of the United Nations, the Arab League, the Vatican, and the host Egyptian government.

“Today, the world is burning; each of us (is here) to pour a little water to put out the fire,” said Hamed bin Ahmed el-Refaai, head of the Islamic forum of Egypt. A Christian counterpart, Tarek Metry from the Christian church council of Egypt, said: “The hypothesis of the clash of civilizations must not be allowed to become a self-fulfilling prophecy.” Metry added: “The answer to terrorism . . . is to be found by addressing the issues that breed terrorism.”

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