Religious leaders gather in Kathmandu

 Kathmandu, May 7

Faith community members, religious leaders and educators from 21 different countries have come together in Kathmandu to learn about interreligious dialogue, conflict prevention, and the promotion of social cohesion.

The event being organised from 6 to12 May is the first event ever hosted by the International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID) in Nepal, it said in a statement on Saturday.

The event titled 'International Fellows Programme' is a capacity-building and training programme organized by the centre, which is based in Vienna of Austria. It brings together participants from different corners of the globe and different religious backgrounds who receive training in interreligious dialogue facilitation, conflict prevention, intercultural communication and the promotion of social cohesion, read the statement.  

The KAICIID was initiated by Saudi Arabia, and it signed an agreement for the establishment of the organisation in Vienna of Austria. Holy See is the founding observer, the centre said in its website. Its Board of Directors comprises prominent representatives from five major world religions - Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism. The Board designs and supervises the Centre’s programmes.

"It promotes dialogue to build peace in conflict areas. It does this by enhancing understanding and cooperation between people of different cultures and followers of different religions," it said in a statement.

According to the centre, the fellows are a global community of diverse religious leaders, educators and dialogue practitioners from Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh and other religious backgrounds. This second training of the 2022 fellows cohort in Kathmandu is also the first event that KAICIID ever hosted in Nepal.

Throughout these six days, participants will not only undergo training, but they will also get to embark on excursions to some of Kathmandu´s most important sacred sites.

Since the programme was launched in 2015, more than 400 Fellows from over 80 different nations have completed it and have therefore joined the 'Fellows Alumni Network'. The centre also provides the fellows with small grants to implement their own dialogue projects, tailored to the needs of their institutions and communities back home.

Past initiatives have included interfaith youth projects, trainings in interreligious/intercultural dialogue for future religious leaders, hate speech awareness campaigns, and initiatives designed to empower women, it said.

“Nepal is a nation that is abundantly multicultural and one that celebrates its diversity. We are very excited to come here with our programme for the very first time. Through this programme, we provide our Fellows with an opportunity to interact with religious leaders from around the world and forge real friendships with “the Other,” KAICIID Senior Programme Manager, Kyfork Aghobjian said.

According to him, the interreligious and intercultural exchange that they go through leaves an enormous impact. For many, it is the experience of a lifetime.  

Meanwhile, Rajendra Century, a fellow of the centre from Nepal said that the fellows will visit some religious and cultural sites in Nepal which will help to promote Nepal's touristic destination. "This is a growing organisation and fellows will help to enhance Nepal's image as multicultural and multi-faith nation across the globe," he said.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 8 May 2022.