|
International Council of
Christians and Jews (ICCJ) Meets in Latvia
FORUM - Christian Culture Foundation
ZNAK
www.forum-znak.org.pl
03.06.2002
The International Council of Christians
and Jews, the umbrella organisation of 37 national member
organizations in 32 countries for the first time held
its annual conference and general meeting in Riga, Latvia
from 26 - 30 May 2002, at the invitation of the recently
formed Latvian Council of Christians and Jews.
The conference theme was "Faithful to One's Tradition
in the Presence of the Other - Perspectives of the Christian-Jewish
Dialogue in the Baltic countries in the light of their
respective histories".
The conference was opened at Riga University by the
President of Latvia, Prof Dr Vaira Vike-Freiberga who
spoke on Visions of Interreligious and Intercultural
Encounter for the New Europe.
Lectures addressed topics of contemporary concern, including
The Jewish Experience in the Baltic Countries, Religious
Renaissance after the era of Atheism, Re-Thinking the
Covenant - New Christian and Jewish Approaches and Interreligious
Relations in the Wake of September 11th. In addition,
conference delegates discussed in workshops such subjects
as Truth and Reconciliation - Facing a Painful Past;
a Religious Response to Refugees, Challenges of Globalisation.
The delegates also visited sites of remembrance of the
Holocaust at Bikernieki where memorial prayers were
said and the former Jewish Ghetto, as well churches
and the sole surviving active synagogue.
The concluding session of the conference was generously
hosted by the Riga Jewish Community in its reopened
Community Centre where Rabbi David Rosen lectured on
Faithfulness to Tradition and Peacemaking in the Middle
East. This was followed by musical presentation culminating
in excellent presentations from the Jewish children's
dance groups; delegates also viewed the instructive
exhibition on the Jews of Latvia from the earliest days
until today.
Delegates were gratified to learn of the establishment
of the International Martin Buber Foundation supported
by the German Land Hesse to the sum of 3 million EURO.
The foundation will ensure the continuation of the ICCJ's
interreligious dialogue.
At its annual general meeting delegates paid tribute
to the outgoing president, Rabbi Prof David Rosen who
was elected honorary president and to ICCJ Patron, Sir
Sigmund Sternberg, UK.
The following were elected to office for the next two
years:
- President: Father Prof Dr John Pawlikowski, USA, Catholic
Theological Union, Chicago;
- Vice-Presidents: Mrs Gunnel Borgegoerd, Nordic Ecumenical
Council, Uppsala, Sweden and Rabbi Ehud Bandel, Director
Massorti Movement, Jerusalem;
- Joint Treasurers: Edwin Green and Clive Marks, UK;
- Executive Board: Bishop Luis des Castillo, Mello,
Uruguay; Father Prof. Michael Czajkowski, co-chairman
Polish Council of Christians and Jews, Poland; Rev Dick
Pruiksma, Chairman of OJEC (Dutch Council of Christians
and Jews) Netherlands; Prof Dr Stefan Schreiner, University
of Tibingen, Germany; Sr Margaret Shepherd, Director
Council of Christians and Jews, UK.
The annual ICCJ Sir Sigmund Sternberg Award was presented
jointly to: Prof Dr Klaus Schwab, of the World Economic
Forum and to Jubilee International Movement for Economic
and Social Justice.
The Interfaith Gold Medallion "Peace Through Dialogue"
was presented to Father Michael Czajkowski.
|
