TIRANA, Sept. 8 – With calls for compassion and assistance, the ongoing refugee crisis took center stage at a major global interfaith dialogue and peace gathering held in the Albanian capital this week.
The Community of Sant’Egidio held its 28th annual international meeting in Tirana, bringing thousands of people from around the globe to listen to 400 leaders from the world’s major religions as well as prominent figures from the world of culture and international institutions. The stated aim: To build a peaceful world.
“Erecting walls and barriers to keep out people seeking a peaceful place to live is a form of violence,” Pope Francis said in a message sent to the conference and read to the Tirana audience by Mons. Matteo Zuppi, auxiliary bishop of Rome. “It also is violence to kick back those who leave inhuman conditions hoping for a better future.”
Italian President Sergio Mattarella said in a message that the refugee crisis is a challenge for every country and for Europe as a whole.
“The flames of war are grazing our borders, causing misery, devastation and waves of refugees knocking on the doors of Western countries in the hope of finding salvation, hope and human rights,” Mattarella said. “The reply of democratic nations cannot be one of defensive closure. Walls and barbed wire will not stop the fires from blazing. The solution resides in placing ourselves at the lead of new international policies.”
He added, Europe needed “intelligent, far-sighted and courageous political action. One that consists of promoting dialogue, development, integration and security for the population” .
Pope Francis also denounced the exploitation of God as an excuse for violence.
“No one can use the name of God to exert violence; to kill on his name is a grave sacrilege; to discriminate on his behalf is not human.”
The Pope’s message was read Sunday at the start of the three-day international meeting of dialogue among religions and cultures titled “Peace is always possible.”
The Pope also supported holding of the 28th international annual event, started in 1986 from Pope John Paul II, in Albania. The country was also his first visit to a European country last year “to give hope to peaceful coexistence.”
“Welcome to the country which Pope Francis called as the country of religious brotherhood,” said Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama in his address to the conference, welcoming the delegates.
He added, “In times of massive migrations we say that every migration, if accepted and accompanied, could be a source of peace and development of a country, the beginning of a future for many.”
Muslims make up about 59 percent of Albania’s population, with Catholics and Orthodox Christians making up the rest of the religious population.
Late Stalinist dictator Enver Hoxha declared Albania the world’s first atheist state in 1967 jailing and executing hundreds of priests and imams before the regime fell in 1990.
Albanians have since embraced freedom of religion and resumed their historic religious tolerance and cohabitation.
It is a feature the Pope welcomed in his message.
“Peaceful and fruitful coexistence among the people and communities belonging to different religious faith is what we like and what is possible and applicable,” he noted.
