Religious Leaders Meet in Mardin for Peace

The second International Symposium of Religions and Peace in the Light of the Common Ancestor (Abraham) (Harran Meetings), organized by Intercultural Dialogue Platform of Journalists and Authors Foundation (JAF), begins in Mardin today.

The conference, which is supported by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Governorship of Mardin and Mardin Education Foundation (MAREV), will be held in the Qasimiye (Qasimiyya) Madrasa. Topics such as "Peace in Abraham's Message", "Peace in the Abrahamic Tradition", "Heroes of Peace in the Three Heavenly Religions", "The Place of the Abrahamic Message in the Future World" will be discussed over four sessions. 28 academics and 11 religious leaders from Germany, the US, Sweden, England, Italy, France and Turkey will participate in the symposium.

After an opening ceremony at 09:30 by the Intercultural Dialogue Platform, the Kirklar Church, Mardin Ulu Mosque, Hatuniya Madrasah -in which the footprint of the Prophet Muhammad exists- and the Tombs of Sitti Radviye and her son Qutbettin Ilgazi will be visited as part of the symposium.

The Deyrulzaferan Monastery, and the monasteries of Mor Gabriel in the Midyat district and Mor Yaqub in the Nusaybin district as well as Hasankeyf will also be visited. The program in Mardin will conclude with a visit to the tomb and Mosque of Zeynel Abidin. The participants will then come to Istanbul to complete the symposium.

Vice-Director of Religious Affairs Muhammet Sevki Aydin, Istanbul Mufti Dr. Mustafa Cagrici, Istanbul Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomeos, Turkey Armenians Patriarch Mesrob II, Turkey Jewish Chief Rabbi Rav. Ishak Haleva, Roman Catholic Apostolic Vicar in Istanbul Monsignor Georges Marovitch, Latin Catholic Congregation Spiritual Leader Monsignor Louis Pelatre, Assyrian Orthodox Community Metropolit Filksinos Yusuf Cetin and Assyrian Catholic Community Patriarchal Vicar Chorbishop Yusuf Sag are expected to participate in the symposium whose Project Scientific Coordinator is Dr. Bekir Karliga.

The first of the International Symposia of Religions and Peace in the Light of the Common Ancestor Abraham (Harran Meetings) were held in the Harran district of Sanliurfa - the place of birth of the Prophet Abraham- between April 13 and 16, 2000. 44 theologians, academics and journalists had joined the Abraham Symposium. (YE)