For the last two days I've been representing the Foundation at the III Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional religion in Astana, Kazakhstan. The Congress was launched in 2003 and meets every 3 years. The event brings together a mix of Religious Leaders, Politicians and International Organisations for two days of interfaith dialogue. Many of the world religions were represented: Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taosim, Sintosim and Zorastrism.
The Congress is hosted by the Kazakh Government and they pull out all the stops in hospitality for the delegation, who travel from far and wide. The meeting is peppered with various excursions to museums, musical recitals and introductions to the country's rich cultural history. This is my second trip to Kazakhstan and once again I've not been brave enough to try their national drink of mare's milk, maybe next time.
But it's not all museums and mares milk, this gathering is intended to be a forum for interfaith dialogue based on mutual respect, tolerance and understanding. Significantly, however, there were many calls for the Congress to move on from interfaith dialogue to concrete actions. Rev Dr Ishmael Noko, General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation (Switzerland) spoke of the 'traffic jam of dialogue' and called for a shift from merely sending a message to making a difference. Another call to action came from Sergei Ordzhonikidze, Under-Secretary General of the UN, Director General of UN Office at Geneva who reminded the Congress of the Millennium Development Goals and the vital role that faith communities have to play if they are to be met.
In his address on day one, the Bishop of Croydon, Nick Baines (representing the Archbishop of Canterbury), warned of the power of words, the danger of hypocrisy and the need for religious leaders to become poets who hold out the promise of hope in ways that people can comprehend. He followed this with an intervention on day two to ask for honesty as a fundamental prerequisite for interfaith dialogue and action. To suggest (as many do) that religions do live together in peace in places like India, Iran, etc. is to entertain fantasy. The persecution of religious minorities is a serious matter and other speakers endorsed the bishop's call for this to be taken seriously in a future Congress. To read the Bishops's personal blog click here.
Day two has seen this undercurrent take centre stage. While the speeches of those on panels has tended to focus on traditional forms of interfaith dialogue, with little talk of practical next steps, audience members have persistently demanded that mechanisms be put into place in order for the goodwill in the room to be passed on to those working at grass root levels."We must look towards ways in which we can work together to make a difference, either by advancing existing programmes, or through new initiatives" said one.
I hope that these calls to action, voiced at the III Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, are communicated far and wide by all those who took part. If they are then the Congress has the potential to do great things at the hands of its members, all of whom are clearly committed to the cause of interfaith action alongside dialogue.
Kate Holden
Executive Assistant
On Monday June 22nd,Tony Blair took part in The Business of Giving Series at 92 Y in New York. This series is hosted by Matthew Bishop, New York Bureau Chief of The Economist and author of Philanthrocapitalism: How the Rich Can Save the World and features leading philanthropists talking about their efforts to try and make the world a better place.
Mr Blair spoke candidly about the various strands of his philanthropic work and commitments - which range from interfaith work- through the establishment of his interfaith charity The Tony Blair Faith Foundation- His role as Quartet Representative in the Middle East, providing governance and capacity building to African Nations through his Africa Governance Initiative and his Climate Change work.
He highlighted the fact that none of these challenges can be surmounted alone and independence no longer exists: we are now 'Interdependent'. No one nation is strong enough to deal with these challenges alone - "not even America ." However, he warned that if the worlds' nations are to work together effectively they must focus on their common values and a shared sense of purpose: the pursuit of Justice.
"That's the only way a global community works: through justice, fairness, solidarity, treating people as equals, as partners, whatever their colour creed or nation.
So that's what I do, and if the power nowadays is less, in time at least, I hope the influence can be more."
The Tony Blair Faith Foundation is setting out to achieve greater interfaith understanding through practical programmes: by encouraging different faiths to work together to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals, with an initial focus on malaria; to increase religious literacy by connecting classrooms across the world; and by nurturing a deeper intellectual understanding of the dynamics of faith and globalization. Please visit our projects page to find out more.
It is no exaggeration to describe interfaith relations as an exponentially growing endeavour and that there has never been so much interreligious dialogue and cooperation in human history as there is today.
Yet all too often all this activity remains peripheral to much of the public square and especially to affairs of state. I am not suggesting that interfaith relations can (let alone should) take the place of political leadership and diplomacy. But I do believe that it is a critically essential component in building healthy societies and in resolving conflicts.
An Interfaith Foundation led by one of the most notable statesmen of our times, has the potential to connect these worlds as never before; and it is my honour to congratulate Tony Blair on the establishment of this Foundation and to express the prayer that the One Source and Guide of our world will bless this endeavour, that it in turn may be a blessing to society as a whole.
Rabbi David Rosen KCSG
International Director of Interreligious Affairs
American Jewish Committee
Chairman
International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations – IJCIC
The vision and values of the Tony Blair Faith Foundation are desperately needed today when every major issue in our world is influenced for good or harm by faith factors. It would be foolish to ignore how religious conviction impacts personal and national identity, poverty and education, extremism and reconciliation, disease and development, peace and progress. In any effort to help people learn to live and work together, we must engage the vast networks, resources, wisdom, and influence of the faith communities. My friends, Tony Blair is uniquely prepared with the gifts of temperament, knowledge, experience, leadership, and global respect essential for a task this great. I honestly don’t know of anyone better suited for this challenge. It’s why I agreed to serve on the Advisory Board. The Tony Blair Faith Foundation’s potential for doing good is staggering.
Rick Warren
Saddleback Church
Purpose Driven Network
P.E.A.C.E. Coalition
I welcome with joy and hope the dedication of the Rt. Hon. Tony Blair to initiate a Faith Foundation for the purpose of promoting cooperation among the world’s religions for human wellbeing, mutual understanding and trust. This work is an urgent necessity of our times. All of our religious traditions, in addition to their unique teachings about human destiny and fulfillment, include a vision of an ideal world community characterized by justice, peace, prosperity and freedom from violence, fear and exploitation. This vision, however, will not be realized without our willingness to reach across the historical boundaries of our faiths and extend our hands in friendship and fellowship in the search for common values and solutions. Our hopes for just and peaceful communities will only be realized together or not at all.
Mr. Blair brings to this good work a deep personal faith, considerable skills of leadership, energetic commitment, a respect for the uniqueness of each faith, and insight about the transformative potential of religion. Our collaboration in this effort is not an option. It is an imperative of our common existence and interrelated lives.
Anantanand Rambachan
Professor and Chair
Religion Department
St. Olaf College
Minnesota, USA
I warmly welcome this and every initiative which encourages the important contribution that people of faith can and do make to the common good around the world and helps to progress mutual understanding between the faiths. I trust and pray that the work of the Foundation, and of all those individuals and organisations with which it will collaborate in the coming years will bear lasting fruit, and inspire even greater engagement across the borders of religious difference and diversity.
Dr Rowan Williams
Archbishop of Canterbury
The great tragedy of our times is that the headlines are dominated by the violent fringe of religious communities. The Tony Blair Faith Foundation understands that there is a deep yearning amongst the vast majority of people of all faiths to reject this violence publicly and make real their most enduring principle - to protect and enhance the God-given gift of life. The Interfaith Youth Core and I are proud to partner with the Tony Blair Faith Foundation and diverse people of good faith all over the world to apply this principle in a campaign to end deaths from malaria. Together, we will ensure that the twenty-first century is remembered not as a time of inter-religious violence, but as a period when people of all faiths cooperated to stop one of the giant ills afflicting humankind.
Dr. Eboo Patel
Founder and Executive Director,
Interfaith Youth Core
I pledge my support for the Tony Blair Faith Foundation because I share the vision of fostering respectful relations between the historic faith traditions of the world.
It is of vital importance for the peace of the nations that the faith traditions learn how to live with their deepest differences.
As a committed Christian I profess my sole allegiance to Jesus Christ, but I also know I am called to honour and respect those of other faith traditions. When there is a meeting of different faiths it requires every party to be faithful to their own convictions and respectful of other traditions. This value is the historic heritage of religious liberty.
When the faith traditions break down the walls of suspicion and silence there can be a more effective partnership in working together to achieve the Millennium Development goals.
I warmly commend the imaginative initiatives of the Tony Blair Faith Foundation.
David Coffey
President
Baptist World Alliance
The Tony Blair Faith Foundation's vision of inter-religious dialogue and understanding at a time when our world is so imperilled is of profound importance. I believe that most religions in their very foundation share precious common values of regard for all of life. At this time, it is an imperative that we work together to heal the divisiveness in today's world, and nurture the best in each other, so that our children and their children can meet a world that is sane and healthy.
Roshi Joan Halifax
Abbot
Upaya Zen Center
I am delighted that the Faith Foundation is seeking a greater co-
operation between faiths in an effort to combat malaria and pursue the
Millennium Development goals. Extreme poverty is arguably the
greatest moral and ethical issue of our day and there is an urgent
need for people to work together to fight it.
Reverend Nicky Gumbel
Alpha Chaplain and Pioneer,
Holy Trinity Brompton