Speech at Council of Europe Conference on the Religious Dimension in Intercultural Education

I firmly believe that co-operation is a more natural form of interaction between people than conflict. Co-operation makes it possible for us to live together in mutual respect and in peace and to tolerate our differences. It is through co-operation that we are able to maintain the level of welfare and make progress, and it is through confidence and co-operation that peace and security are ensured.

These objectives cannot be achieved once and for all. Every society must work continuously to ensure that mutual respect and trust are the defining values in every sector – cultural, social, ethnic and religious. At the international level this objective is achieved through discussions, agreements and the exchange of information. Norway will give this priority during its chairmanship. As host to this Council of Europe conference on the religious dimension of intercultural education, we are also emphasising the religious aspect of such efforts. I am convinced that by discussing the similarities and differences between the various religions we will be able to identify common values such as respect for the sacred, human dignity and reconciliation. Religion is often regarded as a cause of conflict. I believe that it should be regarded as a way of resolving conflict.

Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that, “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”

Religion is a vital force in today’s world. Religion can be a meeting-place for inspiring new ideas and fostering deeper understanding. But sadly, religion can also be used to create and reinforce misunderstanding.

Religion is all too often distorted and abused to stir up mistrust and hate, which in turn provide a breeding-ground for conflict and war. But we can work against such developments by enhancing our efforts to promote understanding between people, so that our common values – respect, human dignity and reconciliation – break down the religious and cultural barriers that have been erected between peoples, societies and individuals. Education is the key to success in this work. And this is one of the reasons for this conference.

There is a particularly great need for more dialogue channels between the Western and the Arab worlds. Educational and religious dialogue are especially important in order to counter the impression shared by many Muslims that the West primarily takes a military approach to conflict resolution.

Since the events of 11 September in New York and Washington, preventive action has been taken in many areas. The Council of Europe, for example, expressed its determination “to promote a wide intercultural and inter-religious dialogue to permit our societies to find greater cohesion and reduce the risks of misunderstanding”. This is not a task for governments alone. We need the engagement of civil society. And in this task education is crucial. Schools must foster tolerance and respect for human dignity.

Countless children are today being raised in an atmosphere of hatred and intolerance. Countless children are being denied their basic human rights. Education can and should be our primary tool for achieving the opposite. Education should promote tolerance and mutual respect.

This is why we have given this conference its rather challenging title. We hope that through discussion and specific proposals we will be able to show how knowledge of the different religions can contribute to the development of mutual understanding and respect, and thus lay the foundations for co-operation and co-existence instead of alienation and hostility.

I wish you every success with the conference.