SOKOTO JUNE 12 2015 (CISA)-Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah of Sokoto Diocese has urged Christians and Muslims in Nigeria to embrace the challenge of genuine and truthful dialogue for the development of the country.
The bishop was giving a speech following his recent appointment as a Member of the Abdullahi IbnAbdulaziz International Council for Interreligious & Intercultural Dialogue Advisory Board.
Bishop Kukah, will represent African and join other Catholic Bishops representing Asia, Europe, Middle East and the United States of America as the official Vatican representatives in the council for four years.
The Bishop noted that the initiative is a wakeup call for both Christians and Muslims in Nigeria to take up the challenge of genuine, truthful dialogue for the development of the country.
He is a member of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue at the Vatican, and Chairman of both the Committee for Dialogue for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) and the Regional Episcopal Conferences of West Africa (RECOWA).
The Abdullahi IbnAbdulaziz International Council for interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue Advisory Board is made up of members from the various religious traditions of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, among others.
The Mandate of the council is to promote the use of dialogue globally to prevent and resolve conflict, to enhance understanding and cooperation with structures designed to foster dialogue among people of different faiths and cultures to bridge animosities, reduce fear and instill mutual respect.
