"We women have been looked at with short-range lights."Franca Ovadje: "Empowering women can only be achieved through education".The eternal feminine. Fifty women in a bookWomen are playing an increasingly important role in the development of interreligious dialogue. Concrete proof of this revolution, which has been underway for several years, is the recent international conference entitled "Women build a culture of interfaith encounter.". It was held in Rome at the end of January and was organized by the Vatican's Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, in collaboration with the World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations.
Msgr. Indunil Janakaratne Kodithuwakku, secretary of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, considers it an unprecedented event. He explains that the Rome conference was historic because "30 women from 23 countries and belonging to 12 religions participated. Moreover, the conference was specifically designed to listen to the stories of women, especially those from the peripheries who are involved in interreligious and intercultural dialogue. All the speakers were women and it was a new and enriching experience to hear, from their female perspectives, all the important work they are doing in so many different areas of society."
This event, however, was not the only one organized by the ministry in this sense....
-Yes. The conference was the culmination of a series of events organized by this Dicastery to promote the role of women in interreligious dialogue. For example, the 2017 Plenary Assembly of the Dicastery had as its theme. "The role of women in education towards universal fraternity".". "Contemplative action and active contemplation: Buddhist and Christian nuns in dialogue." was, on the other hand, the theme of the first joint international conference between consecrated women of the two religions, held in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, in October 2018. Finally, the message for the 2019 Buddhist holiday of Vesak was entitled. "Buddhists and Christians: promoting the dignity and equal rights of women and girls."
Why did you feel the need to organize last January's conference dedicated to the role of women in interfaith dialogue?
-First, to enhance the role of women in the field of interreligious dialogue: dialogue of life and action, theological and spiritual dialogue. Then to emphasize that dialogue is a journey that men and women must undertake together, and to stress that women's equal dignity and rights must also be reflected in interreligious dialogue: more women must have a place at the tables of discussion and decision-making, where they are still outnumbered by men. In addition, the conference also heard the presentation of the image of women in different scriptures and religious teachings. In essence, all of this serves to promote the "culture of encounter," a concept dear to Pope Francis.
What were the objectives of this conference?
-The objectives were to celebrate women and their achievements; to rediscover how the specifically feminine elements of our religious traditions can awaken spiritual energy to heal our wounded world; to listen and learn from the ongoing efforts of women around the world to create more fraternal societies through dialogue.
What were the concrete results?
-I believe the conference achieved its objectives: the women were recognized and supported in their important work; they made excellent presentations on their respective religious traditions and the ways in which religions uphold the dignity of women. Together with the other conference participants, the women also named and combated the elements of discrimination against women and their causes. They recounted their concrete work in education, healthcare, human rights advocacy, law and cultural preservation. They shared testimonies about building bridges between different cultural and religious groups in their local contexts. The results were ultimately enriched understanding and relationship building.
What is the role of women today, each in her own religion, in building a culture of encounter?
-Many women highlighted the specifically feminine characteristics that contribute to building a culture of encounter and that transcend religious differences: maternal nurturing and protection of others, especially the most vulnerable; the balance that women offer to men; their ability to create spaces for dialogue even in the midst of conflict; and their peaceful action against injustice. These characteristics must be present in various aspects of society, including leadership, for the construction of a more fraternal world. Of course, they also offered living testimonies of a feminine way of doing dialogue, which leaves more room for the full range of human discourse, including narratives, emotions and relationality.
Why is women's action today crucial for the development of interreligious dialogue?
-There is a need to learn more about the experiences and concerns of all, which implies the inclusion of women in the dialogue. One of the main objectives of interreligious dialogue is peace, and women are natural peacemakers, thanks to their innate understanding of the dignity of every human being and the harm caused to them by situations of discrimination and violence.
How can women be more involved in interfaith dialogue?
-Women have always participated in the dialogue of life, whereby people of different religious traditions live together and peacefully resolve tensions arising from differences. They are also taking the initiative to participate more in interfaith dialogue at the formal and theological levels. While gender-segregated dialogues can be fruitful, there is a need for more dialogues composed of men and women, especially when making important decisions about how people of different religious traditions can work together to build a culture of encounter.
How can interfaith dialogue among women positively influence the path to peace in an increasingly belligerent world?
-Women often shape a way of listening and speaking that is open to a path of peace. As Pope Francis often says, dialogue is the way forward, while war is a loss for all. Because of their natural capacity to welcome the diversity of the other, women shape this peace process, which is ongoing and never ending. Women also have a certain perseverance and patience in the face of difficulties, qualities necessary to build peace.
After last January's conference, will the speakers form a network to continue discussing these issues?
-Yes, they are delighted to meet other women who are striving to make a difference for peace and justice in their local contexts.
How will the Department help them network?
-We are still discussing how we will do this concretely, but both we and the women have many ideas about the work we can do together and how to keep in touch through this work.
