Members of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation for Interreligious and Intercultural Research and Dialogue, including HRH Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan, today presented HH Pope Benedict XVI with a specially produced boxed set of the three Holy Books of the monotheistic faiths: The Hebrew Bible, The New Testament and The Holy Qur’an.

The Foundation for Interreligious and Intercultural Research and Dialogue (a private institution operating under Swiss law) was established with the aim of making a specific and positive contribution to dialogue amongst faiths and cultures.
 

The Foundation is honoured that Pope Benedict XVI, a co-Founder and former Board of Trustees Member, graciously accepts this presentation and so underlines his continued commitment to a common vision of promoting understanding, tolerance and friendship among the three monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

The Foundation’s Trustees, who hail from diverse monotheistic faith backgrounds, share a desire to contribute to the interreligious and intercultural formation of those individuals who will thus be prepared for challenges in achieving the complementarity between the religious, social and political spheres.

In our rapidly fracturing world, the need to promote understanding and tolerance within and between the three monotheistic religions has never been greater. The work of the Foundation aims to reach beyond mere tolerance of ‘the other’, and to promote a clearer understanding of a shared moral heritage with no syncretism or proselytism.

 

The Foundation has just achieved the publication of a boxed set of the Three Holy Sources in their original languages in a limited edition of 5,000 sets. A Preface, Brochure and a numbered certificate (in Hebrew, Greek, Arabic, Latin, French, English, Spanish, Russian and German) accompanies each handmade box.
 

After careful thought and study, the design of the boxed set was agreed by all Board Members, taking into consideration the chronological order of the Holy Sources and the reading of both Hebrew and Arabic.

 

The Foundation hopes to continue its efforts at cross-religious education by preparing and publishing an analytical concordance of the shared values and standards of the Abrahamic religions. The Board Members hope to enhance what is universal while respecting differences.

Other activities being undertaken by the Foundation include the implementation of a post-doctoral program in the field of interreligious and intercultural dialogue and the awarding of annual scholarships. An official agreement of collaboration with the University of Geneva was signed this past March 1^st, 2006.
 

The importance of putting text into context is underlined by the prevalence of misunderstanding and misinformation in today’s world. An examination of the common moral foundations of all religions is long overdue.

 

The Foundation’s delegation comprises:

 

-*His Eminence Emmanuel Adamakis Metropolitan of France, Director of the Liaison Office of the Orthodox Church to the European Union, and Director of the Office of Interreligious and Intercultural Relations of the Ecumenical Patriarchate (Trustee)

-His Royal Highness Prince El Hassan Bin Talal of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (Founder & First Vice-Chairman)

-Sayyed Jawad Al-Khoei, Al-Khoei Foundation (Trustee)

-Mr. Jamal Daniel, President of The Levant Foundation (Founder, Second Vice-Chairman & Treasurer) represented by Ms Roula Daniel

-His Excellency Archbishop Michael L. Fitzgerald, Apostolic Nuncio in Egypt (Trustee)

-Maître Michel Halpérin, Lawyer, Member of the Grand Conseil de la République et Canton de Genève (Geneva Parliament) and its President in 2006 (Trustee)

-His Eminence Professor Damaskinos Papandreou, Metropolitan of Adrianople, former: Metropolitan of Switzerland; President/Director of the Orthodox Center of the Ecumenical Patriarchate (Chambésy-Geneva) (Founder & Chairman)

-Chief Rabbi René-Samuel Sirat, Former Chief Rabbi of France; President/Founder of the Institute of Learning of Abrahamic Religions (Founder & Secretary)

-Dr. Gary Vachicouras (Executive Director)
 

The Vatican delegation included:

 

-His Eminence Walter Cardinal Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity

-His Eminence Paul Cardinal Poupard, President of the Pontifical Council for Culture and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue

* was not able to attend
 
 

Foundation for Interreligious and Intercultural Research and Dialogue

49 Avenue Blanc, CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland

Tel +41 22 909 83 32, Fax +41 22 909 83 41