19/4/2014, El Masry El Youm

Sister Sanaa Nadim, chaplain of the Islamic Society of the Interfaith Center at Stony Brook University, New York, invited Dr. Aly El-Samman, president of the International Union for Intercultural and Interfaith Dialogue and Peace Education, to speak about the book: “Three Windows on Heaven – Acceptance of Others, Dialogue and Peace in the Sacred Texts of the Three Abrahamic Religions”, which he co-edited with prominent scholars of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

The book has been translated into four languages: Arabic, English, French and Hebrew. Among the participants in the event were Rabbi Joseph Topek, chairman, Interfaith Center of Hillel for Jewish Campus Life; Helen Chueng from the Asian Christian Campus Ministry; and Joanne Buonocore from the Catholic Campus Ministry.

During the event, Sister Nadim introduced Dr. El-Samman as one of the foremost activists in the dialogue of cultures and religions, stressing the role he played in promoting dialogue, not only among the monotheistic religions, but also among all religions in the world.

For his part, Dr. El-Samman said that dialogue is not only necessary to avert hostility and conflicts, but is essential to explore the meaning of life, promote appreciation of cultural differences, and discover the common denominators that bind us all. He voiced the hope that his book will help the followers of the three Abrahamic religions learn more about each other and live together in peace.

translated from El Masry El Youm