By Martin Paul
Abuja
Former military leaders, Generals Yakubu Gowon, Abdulsalam Abubakar and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, will tomorrow be guests at a religious summit in Abuja organised by the International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID),based in Vienna, Austria.
The three-day conference, which commences tomorrow, is also to be attended by traditional and religious leaders from various sections of the country.
The event, according to the Vienna based intergovernmental organisation, is aimed at creating “effective platforms towards promoting inter-religious understanding among Muslim and Christian communities in Nigeria.
According to a press statement issued yesterday by KAICIID, the conference, apart from creating a platform for exchange and engagement among Nigerian religious leaders, will also “feature two intra-religious meetings prior to an inter-religious event which would offer religious leaders from Christian and Muslim communities throughout Nigeria, an opportunity for intensive dialogue.
“A group of selected representatives from each meeting already engaged in interreligious meetings would also meet for a one-day preparatory workshop to formulate aligned agenda, including objectives for both intra-religious meetings.”
KAICIID Director General, Fahad Abualnasr, is expected to open the conference, while KAICIID Senior Adviser, Mohammed Abu-Nimer, a Professor at the School of International Service at American University, is also expected to attend the conference, among other senior officials from the organisation.
Abu-Nimer has conducted interreligious conflict resolution training and interfaith dialogue workshops in conflict areas around the world, including Chad, Egypt, Niger, Iraq, Palestine, Philippines (Mindanao), and Sri Lanka.
KAICIID is an intergovernmental organisation that promotes dialogue to build peace in conflict areas. It does this by enhancing understanding and cooperation between people of different cultures and followers of different religions.
