Monologue or Dialogue? Inter-religious dialogue meets fundamentalism

EYCE PRESS RELEASE:

INTER-RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE EVENT

IN THE HEART OF THE MEDITERRANEAN

More than 35 participants from Europe and the Middle East, from different Christian and Muslim backgrounds, will gather from the 9^th to the 16^th of December in Volos, Greece, for the training course “Monologue or Dialogue? Inter-religious dialogue meets fundamentalism”.The event, organised by EYCE in cooperation with the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) and the Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisation (FEMYSO), will be hosted by the Volos Academy for Theological Studies in cooperation with the Metropolis of Demetrias.

Programme elements will include analysis of fundamentalism from the perspective of sociology, economy, psychology, theology, media and history, critical analysis of practices and traditions of Christianity and Islam that could promote fundamentalism, participation-advocacy for equal participation in policy and decision making of young Christian and Muslims, a tool day to teach practical and practicable ways to pursue and promote IRD when faced with fundamentalist thinking. Among the lecturers foreseen for the event will also be H.E. Ignatios Georgakopoulos, Metropolitan of Demetrias. The Metropolis of Demetrias and the Volos Academy for Theological Studies had accepted EYCE’s proposal of cooperation with enthusiasm. During a meeting with the International Planning Committee, H.E. Ignatios stressed the importance of inter-religious dialogue, especially among young people, and expressed his wishes for further cooperation in the field. The training course is run in the framework of the “All Different – All Equal” European Youth Campaign for Diversity, Human Rights and Participation (www.alldifferent-allequal.info).