‘India very important for world religions’ conference’

October 13th, 2009 NEVADA - Hindus and Jews have asked United Nations (UN) to direct Malta to treat all religions and denominations equally in front of the law. Malta Criminal Code reportedly makes one liable to imprisonment up to six months for publicly vilifying "Roman Catholic Apostolic Religion", while committing such act against "any cult tolerated by law" makes one liable to imprisonment only up to three months.

October 9th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Describing India as "an important ally", the White House has noted that the US continues to be engaged with the Indians to bring about peace in an important region of the world. "I think it goes without saying that India is an important ally," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters Friday when asked if after winning the Nobel Peace Prize President Barack Obama, who has often mentioned Mahatma Gandhi in his speeches, would work harder than ever for global peace, including in the Indian subcontinent.

September 26th, 2009 CHENNAI - India will host the ninth World Tamil Conference early next year in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has said.

September 8th, 2009 KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has urged Muslims to exercise religious tolerance and respect other communities as dictated in the Quran. "Islam is a religion for all, and it enforces a universal concept that looks out for all races while also teaching us not to criticise other religions because it will only cause the others to criticise us even more," The Star Online quoted Razak, as saying.

July 2nd, 2009 ASTANA - Whatever the third Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions held in Kazakhstan might have achieved, it did prove that when it comes to religious leadership, women are yet to break through the glass ceiling. A list circulated by the organisers featured the names of 184 participants - and only 13 of them were women.

July 2nd, 2009 ASTANA - The curtain came down Thursday evening on a two-day global faith meet, with its host Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev expressing confidence it would promote a dialogue between civilisations and religions. "I am confident that the third Congress (of World and Traditional Religions) will play an important conceptual and practical role in the promotion of dialogue among civilisations, cultures and religions," Nazarbayev said.

July 2nd, 2009 ASTANA - Simmering India-Pakistan tensions came to the fore on the concluding day of a global faith meet here Thursday but the blip was taken in its stride. Intervening during the plenary on "Moral and spiritual values, world ethics" at the third Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, Anwar Hussain Siddique of Pakistan's International Islamic University objected to Indian delegate Jyotindra Mukundrai Dave's reference to Muslims being responsible for the attack on Gujarat's Akshardham temple in 2002 that resulted in the deaths of over 30 people.

July 1st, 2009 WASHINGTON - The United States has made it clear that India remains one of its most important allies. Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Robert Blake told a US daily that Pakistan and Afghanistan are important allies of the United States, but not at the cost of India.

July 1st, 2009 ASTANA - Israel Wednesday utilised the platform of a global faith conference to reach out to the Arab world to bring about lasting peace in the Middle East. "I call on his excellency, the king of Saudi Arabia, to meet wherever you wish, in Jerusalam, in Riyadh, in this beautiful country of Kazakhstan; we will be able to realise your vision (of peace in the Middle East)," Israeli President Shimon Peres said.

July 1st, 2009 ASTANA - Did god create man in his image or was it the other way around, Israeli President Shimon Peres wondered while addressing a global faith conference that opened here Wednesday. "Did god create man in his image or is man creating a god to suit his own image?" Peres asked during his address to the third Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions that Kazakhstan President Nurstultan Nazarbayev inaugurated.

July 1st, 2009 ASTANA - In hosting the two-day Third Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions here from today (July 1 and 2), Kazakhstan and its President, Nursultan Nazarbayev, will promote the key theme of an increased role for religious leaders in building a more tolerant world even as it cuts across national boundaries to globalize. According to Kazakhstan, which hosted the previous two Congress's (in September 2003 and September 2006); a regular dialogue between the leaders of world and traditional religions opens "wide prospects for mutual cooperation and contributes to overcoming negative manifestations such as violence, fanaticism, extremism and terrorism." Kazakhstan's initiative has gained worldwide recognition, so much so, that the United Nations General Assembly adopted a Resolution on Promotion of Inter-Religious Dialogue on November 12, 2004.

July 1st, 2009 ASTANA - Politicians and civil society around the world were Wednesday urged to "counteract" the manipulation of religions or religious differences for political ends to preserve the unity of society at an international conference on religion organised by the Kazakhstan government. "Politicians, public figures, scientists, the mass media and the global community should demonstrate greater moral and spiritual strength and genuine solidarity in pursuing just solutions to the economic, financial, social and environmental problems plaguing the globalised world," said an appeal issued by the third Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions here that Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev inaugurated here Wednesday.

July 1st, 2009 ASTANA - Religious leaders are trusted and listened to and should leverage this advantage to change what is wrong with the world, speakers at a global faith meet here maintained Wednesday. Former Norwegian prime minister Kjell Bondevier summed it up succinctly: "Religious leaders have changed minds, have changed policies and have even changed the world." He was speaking at the plenary on 'The role of religious leaders in building peace based on tolerance, mutual respect and cooperation' at the third Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions that Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev inaugurated here Wednesday.

June 30th, 2009 ASTANA - Academics, clerics and leaders from 60 nations, including India, have gathered in the Kazakhstan capital for a global conference of faith and civilisations where they will deliberate on prospects of peaceful coexistence among the world's religions amid growing extremism and violence. The Congress of World and Tradition Religions, being inaugurated by Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev Wednesday at a unique pyramid-shaped building here, is a bold reminder to the world that people of different faiths and ethnic backgrounds can and should live together in peace, its organisers say.

April 23rd, 2009 Hindus and Jews have asked Norway to treat all major religions evenly while teaching religion in its schools. Rajan Zed, acclaimed Hindu statesman; and Rabbi Jonathan B.