________________
Welcome from Barcelona's Religious Communities
Jain Education International
Dear Participants in the Parliament,
On behalf of the local religious communities, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the Parliament of Religions. The Catalan and Spanish communities of all traditions see this meeting as a special opportunity to make themselves known on both a local and a global level. In the past it was not easy to manifest our society's religious pluralism. Minority communities even suffered humiliation and persecution. In the context of the political democracy established since 1978, we now enjoy religious freedom and our political institutions are no longer confessional. All religious confessions are respected and the wealth of religious pluralism is beginning to be discovered. The Parliament will make a decisive contribution to the celebration of this diversity of traditions.
I would like to remind our visitors that Catalan society, like many other European societies, is characterised by its high degree of secularisation. Many people live outside of religious traditions, their communities and their institutions. Their beliefs and values make no reference to religion. In this context, the different religious traditions must also talk with the cultural universe of non-believers. Their explanations must take into account critical thinking, a feeling for human rights and, above all, the possible contributions by religions to the global struggle against poverty and in favour of sustainability and the culture of peace. At the Parliament, religions will make clear their contributions to the construction of freer, fairer, more learned and more peaceful societies.
Welcome to the country of Ramon Llull, to a land that has known the wealth of Christianity, of Islam and of Judaism and that today wishes fraternally to take in people of all creeds. Help us to consolidate the culture of pluralism and of religious peace.
Fèlix Martí
Director of the Local Secretariat
For Personal & Private Use Only
Parliament of the World's Religions 2004
13
www.jainelibrary.org
