FORMER INDONESIAN ENVOY CHAIRS INTERFAITH CONFAB IN GENEVA

London, Sept 4 (ANTARA) - Former Indonesian ambassador/permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, Makarim Wibisono, chaired the just-ended conference on interfaith cooperation and the protection of human rights and dignity at the UN Headquarters in Geneva on Sept 1-2.

The conference was aimed at creating peace and building solidarity among adherents of different faiths as well as at improving the protection of human rights and dignity, First Secretary of the Indonesian Permanent Representative in Geneva, Kamapradipta Ismono said in a press statement on Wednesday.

Makarim chaired the meeting in his capacity as president and co-founder of the Geneva Interfaith Intercultural Alliance (GIIA) and his role in the alliance would hopefully contribute to the UN Human Rights Council in the form of peace and solidarity messages, Ismono said.

The two-day conference which featured 12 young figures representing different religious groups brought together 180 participants including diplomats, academicians, churchmen, churchwomen, and theologists.

The conference adopted an Interfaith Declaration on Peace and Human Rights calling for close cooperation between world leaders and religious figures to create peace and tolerance among adherents of different faiths.

The declaration also called on governments all over the world to introduce curricula on the need to apply interfaith relations based on peace and tolerance.

The declaration will be delivered to the UN Security Council, the UN Human Rights Council and other UN bodies for approval.