Interreligious meet opens in Manado

MANADO, North Sulawesi: An international interreligious consultative forum attended by some 300 people was opened in Manado on Wednesday.

Deputy Governor Freddy Sualang officially opened the six-day meeting organized by the World Church Council (WCC) Youth in a ceremony at the City Hall.

WCC Youth chairman Mutua Mullonayu, a Kenyan, said that beside the host country, India, Norway, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Bosnia- Herzegovina, Nigeria, Kenya, Switzerland, Israel, Palestine and the United States, had sent their representatives to the meeting.

He said invitations had been sent to 17 countries.

In his opening address, Deputy Governor Sualang said that the interreligious meeting would benefit Indonesia especially North Sulawesi province.

"I do hope that the meeting contributes something meaningful to the lives of our people who have diverse religious and cultural backgrounds," said Sualang.

Mullonayu said that the program was part of WCC Youth's commitment to promoting peace, especially among international youths of different religions.

"We want to see how youths from many countries in the world preserve the sources of peace based on their own religious traditions to promote and develop peace."

Chairman of the home steering committee Dalvie Angkouw said that the Indonesian Church Association and Minahasa Bible Church were involved in the event.

Local Muslims also welcomed the event. Machmud Lihawa, chairman of Coordinating Body of Manado Mosque Youths Association, who was also intending to take part in the meeting, expected local people to adopt a new perspective toward living in harmony. (48/sur)