NAM urges media to help foster tolerance

Manila : Members of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) yesterday called on the media to do its part in fostering tolerance among religions and cultures.

During the second day of the Special NAM Ministerial Meeting on Inter-faith Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace and Development (SNAMMM) in Manila's suburb of Pasay City, foreign delegates said the media plays an important partner of governments in the campaign for tolerance, dialogue and peace.

The Philippines is hosting the three-day NAM minister's meet.

In his remarks, Simbarashe S. Mumbengegwi, Foreign Minister of Zimbabwe, urged the mass media to play their role in this initiative by promoting inter-religious tolerance and understanding.

Lebanese Secretary General William Habib of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, for his part, observed that while global media have a great role to play in highlighting differences, that likewise also play a vital role in emphasising shared values.

Giving importance to shared values is key to ending misunderstandings, he said. Venezuelan Minister Counsellor Manuel Perez Iturbe for his part, shared his country's experience in utilising the mass media to foster understanding among different cultures. He said Venezuela has created the Southern Television, Telesur, "to contribute to the diffusion of truthful information which would be the live expression of our nations and to promote the religious and cultural diversities."

During the event, the 120 SNAMMM delegates were able to come up with a document, called the Manila Declaration and its Programme of Action on Interfaith Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace and Development. The paper contains principles and concrete actions for the promotion of interfaith dialogue.