Washington National Cathedral : Christian-Muslim Summit

Christian-Muslim Summit

June 18–20, Beirut, Lebanon

Washington National Cathedral was a key participant in a summit of Christian and Muslim faith leaders June 18–20, 2012, in Beirut, Lebanon, which culminated in a public forum on Wednesday, June 20, at Al Amin Mosque. This is the second of four planned interfaith dialogues on reconciliation, the first of which was hosted by the Cathedral in March 2010 as part of its commitment to being a leader in convening people of all faiths to examine and respond to important issues in the world.

The four principals listed below were joined by delegations from their respective faith traditions, representing Sunni, Shi’a, Anglican/Episcopalian, and Roman Catholic leadership.

S.E. Sheikh Malek Shaar, Mufti of North Lebanon & Tripoli and host of the Beirut summit

Ayatollah Mohammad-Ali Taskhiri, Director, Islamic Culture and Relations Organization, Tehran, Iran

His Eminence Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, President, Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue, Vatican

The Right Reverend John Bryson Chane, Eighth Bishop of Washington, D.C., and Senior Advisor for Interfaith Relations, Washington National Cathedral

Out of the first summit, participants committed to becoming active agents of concrete change, working toward peace among religious communities and using their influence to create peace. One of the principal goals was to continue meeting to do the work of inter-religious dialogue. This second summit featured three days of intensive encounters and meetings among participants from these various faith traditions and culminated in a Plan of Action presented at the public forum, celebrating the success of the dialogue.

Topics at the second summit included the plight of religious minorities and the positive roles that religious leaders from both traditions can take in protecting the safety and rights of these minorities in their respective countries. At a time when minority religious groups, particularly in the Middle East, are facing enormous challenges to the safe practice of their faith, the Christian-Muslim Summit presents a unique opportunity for faith leaders to share hospitality and rededicate themselves to the protection of all people of faith.

Follow the Cathedral’s Twitter feed @WNCathedral and Facebook page at facebook.com/wncathedral for live updates, and look for coverage of the summit in an upcoming issue of Cathedral Age magazine.