The pact aims to address polarization, extremism, the instrumentalization of religion to justify hatred, foster coexistence, and promote a culture of peace in the service of the common good.
Representatives of Italyʼs major religions signed a pact in Rome last week aimed at consolidating an initiative known as “The Italian Path of Dialogue: Religions in the Public Sphere and for Social Cohesion.”
The document was signed June 25 by Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Bahaʼi, Orthodox, and evangelical leaders, including the Italian Bishops’ Conference, the Assembly of Rabbis of Italy, and various Islamic and Buddhist organizations.
Following the signing, representatives of the various faiths were received at the Quirinal Palace by the president of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, to whom they presented a copy of the pact.
The document seeks to recognize religious freedom and share “the value and complexity of being believers and practitioners of different faiths in a postmodern, secularized, multicultural, and multireligious society, one wounded by conflicts and extremism, including those of a pseudo-religious nature,” the text states.
According to the Italian Bishops’ Conference, this agreement is the result of several years of meetings and collaborative work. Leaders from different religions have been meeting since
