Education for Peace in a Multi-religious World: 
“Educating to a Culture of Fraternity in Schools: A Christian Perspective”
Kodithuwakku Kankanamalage Indunil Janakaratne, 
Under-secretary Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue
10 December 2018
The Geneva Centre for Human Rights Advancement and Global Dialogue

Mr. Moderator,

On behalf of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, I would like to thank the organisers for extending me an invitation to be in this timely and important panel discussion.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). This call of Jesus to be peacemakers is offered to all his disciples. According to the vision of Jesus, God is the Father of the entire human family and all human persons are brothers and sisters. For this vision Jesus lived, laboured, suffered and died. This is the vision and mission Jesus entrusts to all his disciples: “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I send you" (John 20, 21).

Peace is a yearning and hope dwelling within all of us. Moreover, peace is a core value of all religions. Yet, we daily hear the cry of the victims of violence – domestic, economic, cultural, socio-political, psychological and environmental. These multiple social scourges are signs not only of a profound lack of fraternity, but also of the absence of a culture of solidarity. Sadly, violence begets other social evils. Why do we have so much violence in our world and how do we end it? How can we build a fraternal society through humanizing education?
Pope Francis notes that “fraternity is an essential human quality, for we are relational beings. A lively awareness of our relatedness helps us to look upon and to treat each person as a true sister or brother; without fraternity it is impossible to build a just society and a solid and lasting peace” (Message for World Day of Peace 2014, Fraternity, the Foundation and Pathway to Peace. n. 1). He further says that “daily acts of selfishness, which are at the root of so many wars and so much injustice”, prevent us from seeing others “as beings made for reciprocity, for communion and self-giving” (ibid, n. 2). Such selfishness inevitably leads people to draw boundaries that secure their safety and identity by excluding those who are ‘not us,’ who are ‘them.’ We live in a world where all too often the ‘other’ is seen as a threat and consequently, is treated as an inferior, a nonperson, or someone to be feared and eliminated if possible. Today, many people have been deprived of equal protection and rights and are treated as second-class citizens within their own countries.

Moreover, a “globalization of indifference,” a “throw away” mentality, and new ideologies characterized by rampant individualism, egocentrism and materialistic consumerism weaken social bonds and human coexistence. That the contemporary ethical crisis is basically a crisis of faith is affirmed by Pope Francis, who says, “The external deserts in the world are growing, because the internal deserts have become so vast” (Evangelii Gaudium, n.152). He also insists that “before all else we need to keep alive in our world the thirst for the absolute, and to counter the dominance of a one-dimensional vision of the human person, a vision which reduces human beings to what they produce and to what they consume: this is one of the most insidious temptations of our time” (Audience with Representatives of the Churches and Ecclesial Communities and of the Different Religions, 20 March 2013). 

Since violence in the world is the outward manifestation of violence in human hearts, it follows that we can positively influence our outer world by changing our inner worlds. To build a world of fraternity, it is vitally important that we join forces to educate people, particularly the children and the young, to seek fraternity, to live in fraternity and to dare to build fraternity.

The school has been thought of as the institution that forms the citizens of tomorrow. Since today’s social problems are often the result of the failure of education to promote fraternal humanism that is based on a culture of dialogue, there is a need to humanize education. Pope Francis notes, “Our efforts at education will be inadequate and ineffectual unless we strive to promote a new way of thinking about human beings, life, society and our relationship with nature” (Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home, 2015, 215). According to the Congregation for Catholic Education, “Humanizing education means putting the person at the centre of education, in a framework of relationships that make up a living community, which is interdependent and bound to a common destiny. This is fraternal humanism” (Educating to fraternal humanism, Building a “civilization of love”, n. 8.) The Church always affirms that fraternity is generally first learned in the family. Besides, peace at home teaches children to live in love, tolerance and fraternity. On the other hand, a culture of violence can contribute to deform the personality of the children and may even produce violent people. 

Christian schools exist to help students deepen their faith and their own identity as well as to prepare them to live in a multi-religious and multi–cultural world. A humanized education has the following characteristics: 

1. It deals with the personal, moral and social abilities of those who participate in the educational process. 

2. It does not simply ask the teacher to teach and students to learn, but urges everyone to live, study and act in accordance with the values of fraternal humanism. 

3. It does not aim to create division and divergence, but rather offers places for meeting and discussion to create valid educational projects. 

4. It is an education that is sound and open, that pulls down the walls of exclusivity, promoting the richness and diversity of individual talents and extending the classroom to embrace every corner of social experience in which education can generate solidarity, sharing and communion (cf. Educating to fraternal humanism, Building a “civilization of love,” n. 10). 

5. The school thus becomes a place for dialogue and serene exchanges to encourage attitudes of respect, listening, friendship and a spirit of collaboration (cf. Educating to Intercultural Dialogue in Catholic Schools Living in Harmony for a Civilization of Love 17). 

6. All children and young people must have the same possibilities for arriving at the knowledge of their own religion as well as of elements that characterize other religions (cf. ibid, n.18). Principals and teachers need to make interfaith education part of goal setting for the school. 

7. The knowledge of other ways of thinking and believing can conquer fears and enrich ways of thinking about other persons and their spiritual traditions (cf. ibid, n.18). 

8. Care needs to be taken when presenting information about the various religions to avoid stereotypical images and unbalanced views. In the school, young people can learn to counter violent extremist narratives and to build peaceful and inclusive societies. 

9. In the context of an open dialogue among cultures, different religions can and must make a decisive contribution to forming an awareness of common values, particularly among the children. This also includes the preservation of creation, which is now essential for the pacific coexistence of humankind.

Only by changing education can we change the world. Therefore, promoting a culture of peace for all depends on a culture of encounter and respect. A humanized education can lay the foundation for fraternal humanism. Let me conclude with the words of Pope Francis addressed to some teachers and students from Tokyo: “Dialogue is very important for our own maturity, because in confronting another person, confronting other cultures, and also confronting other religions in the right way, we grow; we develop and mature … This dialogue is what creates peace” (Pope Francis, Speech to Students and Teachers of the Seibu Gakuen Bunry Junior High School of Saitama, Tokyo, 21 August 2013). 

Thank you for your attention.

Declaration by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue
"Make space for dialogue with Muslims, now more than ever"
22 April 2015

“The events of recent times cause many of us to ask: 'Is there still space for dialogue with Muslims?'. The answer is: yes, more than ever. Firstly because the great majority of Muslims themselves do not identify with the current acts of barbarism. Unfortunately today the word 'religious' is often associated with the word 'violence', whereas believers must demonstrate that religions are required to be heralds of peace and not violence.

To kill in the name of religion is not only an offence to God, but it is also a defeat for humanity. On 9 January 2006 Pope Benedict XVI, addressing the Diplomatic Corps and speaking about the danger of clashes between civilisations and in particular organised terrorism, affirmed that 'No situation can justify such criminal activity, which covers the perpetrators with infamy, and it is all the more deplorable when it hides behind religion, thereby bringing the pure truth of God down to the level of the terrorists’ own blindness and moral perversion'.

Unfortunately in recent days we have witnessed a radicalisation of community and religious discourse, with the consequent risks of increasing hatred, violence, terrorism and the growing and commonplace stigmatisation of Muslims and their religion.

In such a context we are called upon to strengthen fraternity and dialogue. Believers have formidable potential for peace, if we believe that man was created by God and that humanity is a single family; and even more so if we believe, as we Christians do, that God is Love. Continuing to engage in dialogue, even when experiencing persecution, can become a sign of hope. Believers do not wish to impose their vision of humanity and of history, but rather seek to propose respect for differences, freedom of thought and religion, the protection of human dignity, and love for truth.

We must have the courage to review the quality of family life, the methods of teaching religion and history, and the contain of sermons in our places of worship. Above all, family and schools are the key to ensuring that tomorrow’s world will be based on mutual respect and brotherhood.

Uniting our voice to that of Pope Francis, we say: 'any violence which seeks religious justification warrants the strongest condemnation because the Omnipotent is the God of life and peace. The world expects those who claim to adore God to be men and women of peace who are capable of living as brothers and sisters, regardless of ethnic, religious, cultural or ideological differences' (Ankara, 28 November 2014)”.

Declaration by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue
12 August 2014

            The whole world has witnessed with incredulity what is now called the "Restoration of the Caliphate," which had been abolished on October 29,1923 by Kamal Ataturk, founder of modern Turkey. Opposition to this "restoration" by the majority of religious institutions and Muslim politicians has not prevented the "Islamic State" jihadists from committing and continuing to commit unspeakable criminal acts.

            This Pontifical Council, together with all those engaged in interreligious dialogue, followers of all religions, and all men and women of good will, can only unambiguously denounce and condemn these practices which bring shame on humanity:

• the massacre of people on the sole basis of their religious affiliation;
• the despicable practice of beheading, crucifying and hanging bodies in public places;
• the choice imposed on Christians and Yezidis between conversion to Islam, payment of a tax (jizya) or forced exile;
• the forced expulsion of tens of thousands of people, including children, elderly, pregnant women and the sick;
• the abduction of girls and women belonging to the Yezidi and Christian communities as spoils of war (sabaya);
• the imposition of the barbaric practice of infibulation;
• the destruction of places of worship and Christian and Muslim burial places;
• the forced occupation or desecration of churches and monasteries;
• the removal of crucifixes and other Christian religious symbols as well as those of other religious communities;
• the destruction of a priceless Christian religious and cultural heritage;
• indiscriminate violence aimed at terrorizing people to force them to surrender or flee.

            No cause, and certainly no religion, can justify such barbarity. This constitutes an extremely serious offense to humanity and to God who is the Creator, as Pope Francis has often reminded us. We cannot forget, however, that Christians and Muslims have lived together - it is true with ups and downs - over the centuries, building a culture of peaceful coexistence and civilization of which they are proud. Moreover, it is on this basis that, in recent years, dialogue between Christians and Muslims has continued and intensified.

            The dramatic plight of Christians, Yezidis and other religious communities and ethnic minorities in Iraq requires a clear and courageous stance on the part of religious leaders, especially Muslims, as well as those engaged in interreligious dialogue and all people of good will. All must be unanimous in condemning unequivocally these crimes and in denouncing the use of religion to justify them. If not, what credibility will religions, their followers and their leaders have? What credibility can the interreligious dialogue that we have patiently pursued over recent years have?

            Religious leaders are also called to exercise their influence with the authorities to end these crimes, to punish those who commit them and to reestablish the rule of law throughout the land, ensuring the return home of those who have been displaced. While recalling the need for an ethical management of human societies, these same religious leaders must not fail to stress that the support, funding and arming of terrorism is morally reprehensible.

            That said, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue is grateful to all those who have already raised their voices to denounce terrorism, especially that which uses religion to justify it.

            Let us therefore unite our voices with that of Pope Francis: "May the God of peace stir up in each one of us a genuine desire for dialogue and reconciliation. Violence is never defeated by violence. Violence is defeated by peace."