UPF France held the 45th scriptural sharing of the Dialogue & Alliance Forum on 16 March 2025.
The meeting began with an opening address by Mr Dorian Gravrand, the moderator, who recalled the theme for 2025: ‘Weaving peace in everyday life’. Unlike the usual scriptural sharing sessions, the aim of this session was to present a new publication, ‘The ABCs of Interreligious Dialogue’.
The first speaker, Mr Jean-François Moulinet, coordinator of the Dialogue & Alliance circle, explained the context of the publication. He emphasised the importance of this book as a practical tool for encouraging interreligious dialogue in the French-speaking world. The 128-page guide was written by two young women from Bosnia, Emina Frljak et Lejla Hasandedić-Đapo, motivated by the civil wars in their country. Several associations supported the project, including KAICIID, URI, Religions for Peace and Youth for Peace.
The French translation was carried out by a small team of volunteers, including Mr Jean-Paul Jager, Mr Jean-Pierre Nadal and Mr Michel Raoust. Mr Moulinet then detailed the four main parts of the book: a glossary of 50 terms related to interfaith dialogue, special UN days and weeks, important events and documents (such as the meeting between St Francis of Assisi and Sultan Malik Al-Kamil) and, finally, a section on 20 important historical figures.
The second speaker, c, who helped proofread the book, shared a personal anecdote illustrating the usefulness of the guide. He recounted his meeting with a professor who claimed to be an atheist, but with whom he was able, thanks to the guide, to clarify the difference between atheism and agnosticism. Mr Raoust also mentioned his contribution to the book with a note on L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of his church, and the moral code ‘The Way to Happiness’, a secular work based on the Golden Rule and promoting respect for the religious beliefs of others.
After a musical interlude with the prayer for peace by St. Francis of Assisi, performed by Ms. Julie Dratiwak, the third and final speaker, Mr. Fakh-eddine Es-Saidi, a former diplomat, gave his assessment of the guide. He praised its educational value and intellectual richness, and emphasised the role of religious culture in promoting peace and coexistence in the world. Mr Es-Saidi warned against the exploitation of religions to spread intolerance and violence. He also addressed contemporary challenges to interfaith dialogue, such as globalisation and social media. He stressed the need to promote interfaith education and to work together to overcome prejudices and stereotypes. He concluded by recalling that dialogue is ‘a perpetual spiritual activity’ and emphasising the historical role of the Catholic Church and Islam in this process.