Muslim countries did not experience Europe’s strife for pluralism

MEP and former Prime Minister Alfred Sant said Muslim countries did not experience Europe’s internal strife for pluralism. Religious pluralism was established in Europe after hundreds of years of violent disagreements and bloody wars and later it had to be the French Revolution which introduced the principles of equality. This contrasts sharply with events in Muslim countries which did not undergo Europe’s upheavals for pluralism and equality, said Dr Sant when addressing a Conference entitled EUROPE: The Challenges and Opportunities of Intercultural Dialogue organised by the Faculty of Theology of the University of Malta at St Augustine’s convent in Rabat.

“It’s imperative that we retain a Europe of Nations. Failing to do so, the populist parties will thrive on the concerns of European citizens who don’t want to be treated like numbers in a mathematical formula”, said Dr Sant.

Dr Sant said that the scientific developments in Europe led its economy and its society to be guided by the principles of the free market, which today, are being treated like a machine whose success depends on the statistics achieved.

A sizeable audience attended the Conference, organised to coincoide with the Maltese Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which was also addressed by Former EU Commissioner Tonio Borg and Prof Emmanuel Agius, Dean at the Faculty of Theology.

Maltese Version – IL-PAJJIŻI MISILMIN M’GĦADDEWX MILL-PROĊESS EWROPEW BIEX ĠIE AĊĊETTAT IL-PLURALIŻMU

L-Ewroparlamentari Alfred Sant qal li l-pajjiżi Misilmin ma għaddewx mill-proċess li għaddiet minnu l-Ewropa biex ġie aċċettat il-pluraliżmu. Il-pluraliżmu reliġjuż fl-Ewropa sab l-għeruq wara sekli ta’ gwerer imdemmgħa u bir-Revoluzzjoni Franċiża li daħħlet il-prinċipju tal-ugwaljanza, iżda b’kuntrast, il-pajjiżi tal-Iżlam ma għaddewx minn din l-esperjenza. Alfred Sant qal dan f’Konferenza fil-Kunvent tal-Agostinjani fir-Rabat meta tkellem dwar l-isfidi interreliġjużi u l-vuċi interreliġjuża, l-isfidi interkulturali fl-Ewropa u l-kurrenti kbar ta’ ħsieb u twemmin fl-Ewropa.

Dr Sant qal li l-ispirazzjoni xjentifika fl-Ewropa wasslet biex anki l-ħajja fis-soċjeta` titqies bħallikieku kienet materja li tista’ tistudjaha u tmexxiha bħal f’laboratorju. Dan ta skop sħiħ biex l-ekonomija u s-soċjeta`, li waqgħu taħt il-prinċipji tas-suq ħieles, illum qed jitmexxew qishom kienu magna li tmur tajjeb jew ħażin skont x’juru ċ-ċifri.

“Huwa importanti li jibqa’ jkollna Ewropa tan-Nazzjonijiet. Jekk ma jsirx dan, il-partiti populisti fl-Ewropa jkomplu jirkbu fuq id-dwejjaq taċ-ċittadini li ma jridux li jiġu trattati qishom kienu numri f’relazzjoni matematika,” saħaq Dr Sant.

Għall-Konferenza attendiet udjenza mħallta bejn reliġjużi u lajċi. Il-Konferenza kienet organizzata mill-Fakulta` tat-Teoloġija tal-Universita` biex tfakkar il-Presidenza Maltija tal-Kunsill tal-Unjoni Ewropea. Id-Dekan tal-Fakulta` tat-Teoloġija Prof Emmanuel Agius u l-avukat Tonio Borg, ex Kummissarju Ewropew indirizzaw il-laqgħa.