Statements and Speeches by Ministry Representatives 2007

General Assembly: Informal Thematic Debate, 'Civilisations for the Challenge of Peace: Obstacles and Opportunities', Panel number four: Civilisations and the Challenge for Global Peace and Security'

Statement by HE Rosemary Banks, Permanent Representative of New Zealand, Friday 11 May 2007

Mr Moderator,

First allow me to express our thanks to the PGA for organising this thematic debate. We also appreciate the wise words we have heard from the High Representative for the Alliance of Civilisations. We offer our warmest congratulations to President Sampaio on his appointment as High Representative, and with him every success.

I do have a question, but first I would like to briefly draw attention to two events that New Zealand will host this month to contribute to this growing dialogue between faiths and communities, and to the depth of our understanding of each other.

At the end of May, New Zealand will host the third Asia-Pacific Regional Interfaith Dialogue. The Regional Dialogue is co-sponsored by New Zealand, Australia, the Philippines and Indonesia and brings together faith and community leaders, experts and civil society from 15 countries across South East Asia and the South Pacific to promote mutual understanding and tolerance and to address some of the potential causes of religious conflict and extremism in our Asia-Pacific region.

Secondly, New Zealand will co-host, with the Government of Norway, a major regional Symposium on the Alliance of Civilisations report. Prime Minister Helen Clark has invited a select group of leaders and experts to New Zealand, to consider the report’s implications for the Asia-Pacific region. This will be the first such regional gathering since the High Level Group presented its report.

We see both these events as contributing to the global effort to find practical solutions to build bridges between faiths and communities.

Mr Moderator,

I would like to address a question to Dr Armstrong on the changing styles of religious observance. Yesterday Mr Kasliwal noted the growing importance of the internet as a focus for the younger generation as a source of religious information – perhaps replacing the church or the mosque. He noted that this style of religious observance is highly individualistic and bypasses the traditional rituals of our all established religions. Does Dr Armstrong agree with this suggestion, and if so what are the implications?

Thank you.

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