Kyiv Declaration

Kyiv International Inter-Confessional Forum 

International conference “World religions and civil society are against hatred and extremism” (Kyiv, March 28-29, 2011) 

Kyiv Declaration 

Today the events, which cannot but worry each real believer, regardless peculiarities of live and religion, happen in many countries of the world. 

More frequently, we encounter cases of manipulative use of religious feelings of people to stir up political, social, ethnic and cultural hostility. 

More frequently, we see as interreligious and inter-confessional disputes become the reason for sharp social and political conflicts, and the innocent people become victims of such conflicts. 

We see as undisguised hatred and extremism sometimes try to acquire features of religious ideologies and movements. 

It is impossible not to see as well the swift spreading of various displays of vandalism, biolation and offences basing on religious, race, ethnic and national and cultural grounds.  

We are concerned with this situation and say our firm “No!” to all displays of intolerance, xenophobia, hatred, vandalism, chauvinism, terrorism and extremism. 

We call on the head of foreign states and the leaders of religious communities of the world to join our efforts for all-round blame and prevention of similar displays. 

We draw attention of the world community to the need to ensure the balance between individual rights and freedoms, ethnic and cultural and religious identities, the balance which will guarantee the freedom of religion and peaceful coexistence of the representatives of different religions and cultures. 

We emphasize that any displays of aggression and violence, as the means for reaching any purposes, are unacceptable and incompatible with faith, which, from time immemorial, brings only good and peace into the world! 

We care for the lives of the millions of people, staying now in the centre of sharp social and political conflicts all over the world and we are ready to apply our efforts to stop conflicts and make peace. 

We completely support the initiative of the President of Ukraine Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych as for annual holding of the Kyiv International Inter-Confessional Forum with participation of religious and political leaders, representatives of religious and secular communities, experts and representatives of mass media. 

We are ready to engage the format of the Kyiv International Inter-Confessional Forum to solve existing global and local humanitarian conflicts, with the help of a dialogue between representatives of different religions, political and religious leaders, religious and secular communities, political power and civil society. 

In the name of peace, consent and understanding between people of the world, we call on all those who is not indifferent to humanitarian problems of modern mankind to cooperate in the network of the Kyiv International Inter-Confessional Forum.