On the third day of the Holy Land Co-ordination, 19 January, the bishops and delegates participated in a discussion titled, From Declaration to Dialogue: Nostra Aetate in Today’s Israel, held with members of the Rossing Center for Education and Dialogue, based in Jerusalem.
In an interview following the group discussion, Dr Sarah Bernstein, Executive Director of the Rossing Center, explained the foundations of the Center’s work in terms of interreligious peacebuilding:
“Interreligious peacebuilding is building a peace between people of different religions, but also different national groups. So in Israel-Palestine, that means promoting peace and building peace between Israelis and Palestinians, between Jews, Christians, and Muslims.”
The work of the Rossing Center focuses on an active approach to interreligious peacebuilding, in particular working in the education system “to help schools educate children to believe in peace, to believe in living together, and to give them the tools to function in a shared society.”
Describing the challenges which the region faces, especially among young people where polarisation has been strongest, Dr Bernstein emphasised the need to listen to and value the other – even when there are disagreements. She said:
“We share common values, and we believe that we all have to learn to live together with equality, with justice, with security, with peace. I think the main aspect is listening to each other, valuing each other, and enjoying being with each other.”
Asked about a message that she’d wish to convey to those listening from outside, Dr Bernstein appealed for a participative approach in building cultures of encounter and inclusivity in every community:
“Nobody is detached from the situation. We’re all in this together because what happens here impacts around the world and what happens around the world impacts us,” she said. “So we all have to take responsibility for making our societies more inclusive, for learning to listen to each other, and for promoting peace, justice, and equality for us all.”
