Hand-written messages lie among flowers and candles left by mourners at the gate of the French Embassy following the recent terror attacks in Paris on November 14, 2015, in Berlin, Germany. Hundreds of people came throughout the day to lay flowers, candles, and messages of condolence to mourn the victims of attacks in Paris. Photo Credit: © Sean Gallup / Getty
In the days that have followed the attacks in Baghdad, Beirut, Paris – and now, most recently, Nigeria – an outpouring of support has flowed from throughout the URI community to those affected by the violence. Clearly, these violent acts have further catalyzed our resolve to work for peace and justice by creating communities of caring and compassion among peoples of all religious, spiritual and Indigenous traditions, as we also seek to address the underlying causes of this violence through grassroots community action.
Our work as members of URI is made even more urgent by the increase in hateful speech from those who have responded to these incidents by sowing division and discord. In particular, a rise in Islamophobia continues to threaten our Muslim sisters and brothers. This form of prejudice obscures the fact that these acts of terror are no more Islamic than the hateful actions of the Ku Klux Klan in the United States are Christian, or than the actions of any violent extremist groups who falsely use religion for destructive ends. These groups may claim to represent a religion, but they do not, and together we must continue to challenge these claims and promote the positive values inherent in Islam and all religions.
In the days, weeks and months ahead, let us continue to stand up with - and for - one another in a powerful global web of mutual support. And, in the face of what is seen as endless religious conflict in our world, let us tell the world about the reality of interfaith cooperation and peacebuilding that we know is more powerful than bombs and bullets. These are stories that must be told.
We offer a response to the attempts of terrorists to separate us from each other in suspicion and fear: we passionately and steadfastly continue to enact URI’s purpose to promote enduring, daily interfaith cooperation, end religiously motivated violence and create cultures of peace, justice and healing for the Earth and all living beings in all our words and actions.
