Baha'i News: Religions unite to urge G8 leaders to take bold action on global issues

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Religions unite to urge G8 leaders to take bold action on global issues


BORDEAUX, France, 31 May 2011 (BWNS) – Representatives of the Baha'i Faith have 
joined a call for the G8 bloc of nations to take bold action on the 
interconnected crises faced by humanity. 

Two Baha'i delegates gathered with Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Shinto and Sikh 
colleagues, as well as members of interfaith organisations, at the Religious 
Summit in Bordeaux to deliberate on matters related to the agendas of the G8 
Deauville Summit and the G20 Cannes Summit, scheduled for 3-4 November 2011.

Summit Moderator His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel Adamakis, Co-President of 
the Council of Churches of France, told participants that they were 
face-to-face not just as religious leaders but as representatives of humanity, 
speaking with one voice to the leaders of the G8 and G20 countries.  

That voice was heard in a unanimously agreed statement drafted at the meeting 
and later presented to the Secretary General of the G8. 

In addition to recommendations on five major themes – reforming global 
governance, the macro-economic situation, climate change, development, and 
investing in peace – the statement called for representatives from the African 
continent and the Middle East to be included in the G8 and the G20 meetings. 

"Our diverse backgrounds and experience enriched our consultation," the 
statement said. 

"The trauma of earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster described by our 
Japanese colleagues, the experience and aspirations of our friends from 
countries in the Middle East and the deep concern of our African colleagues at 
the continued marginalization of their voice underlined the urgency of the 
issues under consideration."

The statement concluded by urging the G8 and G20 "to continue to expand and 
strengthen the needed global response to global challenges."

"We – leaders of diverse religious communities throughout the world – re-commit 
ourselves to working together across religious lines for the common good and 
with governments and other partners of good will. We remain convinced – each in 
accordance with the teachings of their tradition – that justice, compassion and 
reconciliation are essential for genuine peace," the statement said.


Baha'i representation

"The participants in this Summit demonstrated a sincere desire to find a way to 
translate the spiritual principles that inform their worldview into concrete 
and practical recommendations that would assist G8 leaders to address the 
challenges facing humanity," said Baha'i representative Susanne Tamas from 
Canada.

"The genuine respect and keen interest with which people listened to one 
another and sought to deepen their understanding of complex issues was very 
impressive," said Ms. Tamas.

Fellow Baha'i delegate Barney Leith, from the United Kingdom, agreed. 

"The spirit of unity that infused the gathering was deeply moving," he said. 

"There was a strong sense in which all those at the Summit understood 
themselves to be part of a single human family and to be utterly committed to 
reminding leaders of powerful nations of their moral commitment to reducing 
human suffering."

The G8 Religious Leaders Summit was held in Bordeaux on the 23-24 May. It was 
the seventh in a series of interfaith gatherings aimed at identifying areas of 
moral consensus among religions. Previous Summits were held prior to each G8 
Summit in the United Kingdom (2005), Russia (2006), Germany (2007), Japan 
(2008), Italy (2009) and Canada (2010).





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http://news.bahai.org/story/829


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