April 8, 2016

4th International Panel for Sharing Coexistence Experience in Korea

The 4th International Panel for Sharing Coexistence Experience, which brought together the representatives of the religions in South Korea and the religious groups from Turkey and the United States, and the round-table meeting, titled "Combating Religious Extremism at the Public Level," hosted by Seoul National University, were held in South Korea.

The panel, jointly organized by the Korean Conference on Religion and Peace (KCRP), the Istanbul Cultural Center, which operates in South Korea, the Intercultural Dialogue Platform (KADİP) of the Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV), and Pacifica Institute, from California, the US, was held in Seoul.

During the panel, the Turkish delegation consisting representatives of Muslim and Presbyterian communities in Turkey and the US delegation of Protestant and Catholic clerics met representatives of Buddhism, Protestantism, Catholicism, Won Buddhism, Cheondoism, Confucianism and other local religions in South Korea.

KADİP Secretary General Kudret Altındağ and Moda Presbyterian Church Pastor Dr. Turgay Uçal from Turkey, Dr. Daniel Skubik, from California Baptist University, Rev. Kevin Ross, the spiritual leader of Sacramento Unity, Xavier Eikerenkoetter, the head of United Palace, and İlker Yıldız, from Pacifica Institute, from the US attended the program.

In the panel held in Koreana Hotel, Korean, Turkish and US coexistence experiences discussed and the way the concept of "salvation" is understood by different religions were debated.

Visits to the leaders of various religious organizations in Korea

After the panel, the Turkish and US delegations visited Korean Buddhist Jogye Order Leader Jaseung and Latin Catholic Bishop Kim Hee-joong and other Buddhist, Protestant, Catholic, Won Buddhist, Cheondoist, Confucianist leaders as well as other leaders of local religions in Korea, and invited them to the US to participate in the next panel and engage interfaith dialogue activities.

Combating Religious Extremism at the Public Level

The delegations also attended the round-table meeting titled "Combating Religious Extremism at the Public Level" hosted by Seoul National University and organized by Hangang Network. In the meeting held at Seoul National University, it was stressed that education and dialogue activities should be expanded to cover all groups in the public. The need for religious and opinion leaders to assume more effective role in combating "religious extremism" was emphasized.

Published on Journalists and Writers Foundation, 8 April 2016, Friday

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