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by Thomas Birringer, Afaf Maraqa

The event brought together politicians, senior academics from both Lebanon’s state and private universities, journalists and representatives of Muslim and Christian organizations. The acting resident representative of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung in Amman, Mr. Thomas Birringer, also welcomed his Excellency Ibrahim Chamseddine, Minister of State for Administrative Development as a representative of the Lebanese government.

As an introduction to the conference a report about the situation of religious pluralism in Lebanon and the Arab world was presented which was then followed by three panels adressing the judicial, cultural and political dimension of religious pluralism and the challenge its poses to politics, civil society and religious communities alike.

The ensuing debate was characterized by a remarkably open and constructive atmosphere. As an outcome of the conference the delegates formulated a number of recommendation which aim to ensure the maintenance of a peaceful religious pluralism in Lebanon and the whole Arab world.

Above all, the delegates agreed that the maintenance and continuation of the interfaith dialogue is of crucial importance. In order to deepen and strengthen the relationship between the religions and to prevent extremist tendencies, the delegates gave the recommendation that the interfaith dialogue puts more emphasis on the similarities in faith, traditions and religious imagery between the three monotheistic religions.

Also the protection and defense of fundamental human rights and freedoms was considered an equally important factor for the continuation of religious pluralism in Lebanon and the Arab world. This has to be complemented by the acknowledgement of the role religion and religious organizations play in the stabilization of social peace. However, religious organizations were also asked in turn to clearly and loudly acknowledge and commit to the defense of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

A further demand of the conference was that schools and universities should support religious pluralism through providing ideology-free education. It was recommended that special attention should be paid to the teaching of comparative constitutional law in all Arab universities which should avoid all ideology and indoctrination.

Furthermore the necessity to strengthen the role of civil society in Lebanon and the Arab world was also discussed: its influence should be strengthened and it should be given back a strong voice with which to prevent isolation and extremism.

As accompanying measure it was agreed to document and monitor the status of religious freedom in Lebanon and the Arab societies and to evaluate the pro and cons of democratic governance of religious diversity in an annual report of the documentation centre at the University of St. Joseph in Beirut.

The results of the conference will be published in book form in the near future.