Interfaith dialog ready to roll

DENPASAR, Bali: Delegates from 39 countries began on Tuesday to stream into Bali for the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Interfaith Dialog, which will be opened by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Thursday.

During the three-day event, participants of the dialog will seek ways to foster mutual understanding and respect among all faiths and religions and propose recommendations to promote global interfaith harmony.

The delegates comprise high-ranking officials, intellectuals, religious leaders and senior journalists.

Represented in the event will be communities of faiths and religions, such as Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism and Judaism.

The dialog is sponsored by the Indonesian and British governments, and cosponsored by the European Commission, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Spain, the Netherlands, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. -- JP