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By Manuel Quintero*

A multi-religious prayer service and a debate on ethical dilemmas in micro-disarmament are being organized by the World Council of Churches (WCC) within the framework of the UN Review Conference on the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons taking place in New York from 26 June - 7 July 2006.

For peace to be achieved, both parties to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should be held to identical standards on ending violence, respecting agreements, and recognizing the other says the World Council of Churches (WCC) executive committee.

On the day of Pentecost described in the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, the Holy Spirit transformed a diverse gathering of people - many of them drawn from distant lands (Acts 2:5-11). In February of this year, thousands of Christians from every region of the world had a similar experience - a Pentecost experience - while participating in the Assembly of the World Council of Churches held in southern Brazil.

By Mark Woods (*)

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Whether in European suburbs or Middle Eastern capitals, religious identity can often seem to be a source or fuel of conflict. And as many Western societies struggle to adapt to an emerging multicultural and multireligious reality, issues of tolerance and "living together" become ever more acute.

Larbi Kechat , an Algerian sociologist who is the rector of the Adda'wa mosque in Paris, French rap singer Abd Al Malik , and former vice chair of the Federal Council, and former president of the Swiss Confederation, Ruth Dreifuss , are among well-known personalities expected at an

(*) By Naamah Kelman

Does the quest for religious identity, evident in many places around the world today, lead inevitably to opposition to other religious traditions? And how, in contexts of religious and cultural plurality, can we move beyond tolerance to positive respect between religions?

<span style="font-weight: bold; "» African church leaders visit Israel & Palestine

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The root causes and complex nature of violence, and aspects of Christian spiritual life that can contribute towards the building of a culture of peace in today’s world, will be the focus of an international conference taking place in Boston, USA from 27-29 October 2005.

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By Rosina Duarte (*)

"Tourism, while being a potent force for good, has sadly turned into an activity that leaves in its trail massive numbers of victims", says World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Samuel Kobia in a message on World Tourism Day, 27 September.

While anti-semitism is a sin, not every critique of Israeli policies qualifies as anti-semitism, Samuel Kobia told a Jewish-Christian gathering on Sunday, 24 July.

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<span style="font-weight: bold; "» Indigenous peoples challenge UN draft declaration