NIGERIA, and indeed the rest of the world, must promote dialogue between cultures and mass education of the citizenry, among others, in other to stem crises rooted in religious, ethnic, social or political differences.
The above was the fulcrum of recommendations made by a broad spectrum of academics, government officials, traditional rulers, media chieftains, clerics, jurists, diplomats, non-government organisations (NGOs) and students at a recent two-day international conference in Abuja, which attracted participants from across the world.
Also, according to a communiqué issued at the end of the event, which theme was “Establishing a Culture of Co-existence and Mutual Understanding: Exploring the Fethullah Gulen’s Thought and Action,” the media has a great role to play in the nation building process, hence journalists should “endeavour to report with a sense of social responsibility, decency and mutual respect.”
The conference was a joint partnership between UFUK Dialogue Foundation, Fountain Magazine, and Nigerian partners, including the Federal Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission and six federal universities in the country, namely: Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Bayero University, Kano; Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi; Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola; and, the Federal University of Technology, Minna.
Over 1,250 participants registered for it from Benin Republic, Togo, Cameroun, Gabon, Niger Republic, Burkina Faso, Chad, Guinea and South Africa.
The conference had six panels and consisting of 22 presentations. Speakers were drawn from 11 countries, including Nigeria, Malaysia, Bangladesh, India, Russia, Jordan, Turkey, Albania, South Africa, Republic of Ireland and the United States of America.
It aimed “to generate a forum for discussion concerning the modern human condition in which we face many questions and challenges as to how we can coexist in peace with neighbours,” among others.
After presentations and thorough discussions, the conference recommended thus:
• the media in mutual understanding is very critical for it shapes the public opinion, the media should therefore endeavour to report with a sense of social responsibility, decency, and mutual respect;
• dialogue should be an integral part of community processes, especially in multicultural and multi-religious societies;
• education, widely conceived, is a determining factor in establishing understanding and cooperation for peaceful coexistence. On the contrary, ignorance is the breeding place for mutual suspicion, stereotyping, and conflict. And, therefore, greater access to opportunities for all segments of the society should be encouraged;
• religious precepts are not sources of conflict within communities, rather in contextual interpretations of religious precepts, misunderstanding of religious doctrines, and/or manipulations of religious principles are source of conflict and violence. Thus, religious and opinion leaders should endeavour to live above board;
• religious thinking and positive sciences are two aspects of the same truth. It is essential to reach a harmonious understanding of the two. An education based on this principle of harmony of religion and science does not adopt proselytisation as a paradigm of teaching.
Hence, popularisation of science is important factor in doing away with ignorance, superstition, and obscurantism; and,
• these kinds of conferences stimulating dialogue between cultures should be organised in all levels of the society.
At the conference were ministers, members of the National Assembly, presidential advisers, vice chancellors of Federal and state universities, emirs and chiefs judges, Islamic scholars, Christian clerics, members of the academia and students.
Published on Information Nigeria, 06 December 2011, Tuesday
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