MCC to co-sponsor peacemaking dialogue

by Mennonite Central Committee

Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is co-sponsoring a dialogue with international political and religious leaders that is intended to build peace and understanding between societies that are often divided by animosity.

The dialogue is scheduled to take place on Sept. 25 in New York and will include Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and political and religious leaders from Christian, Jewish and Muslim traditions, in addition to leaders from other faiths.

The theme of the dialogue is "Has not one God created us? The significance of religious contributions to peace."

MCC is co-sponsoring this dialogue out of a commitment to follow Jesus Christ's way of peace, according to Arli Klassen, MCC's executive director.

"As Christians, we take Jesus' Sermon on the Mount very seriously and say 'Love your enemies and do good to those who persecute you,'" Klassen said. "Right now the U.S. and Iran are defining each other as enemies and so, as Christians, we are trying to promote dialogue, understanding and bridge-building, rather than leading to war."

The dialogue is co-sponsored by American Friends Service Committee, MCC, Quaker United Nations Office, Religions for Peace and World Council of Churches in consultation with the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations.

This event will be MCC's fourth encounter with the Iranian president since 2006. Previous meetings have focused on barriers to peace between Iran and the West, including mutual suspicion and hostile rhetoric.

"Many persons around the world have interpreted your public rhetoric as a threat to destroy the state of Israel," said Ron Flaming, MCC's director of international programs, in a September 2007 meeting with President Ahmadinejad.

"This does not match what some of us have heard you say privately, where you stated that there is not a military solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict," Flaming said. "If it is not your intention to destroy Israel, for the sake of understanding, for the sake of peace, for the sake of a bridge, we urge you to clearly and publicly say so."

MCC is facing some public criticism for co-sponsoring the Sept. 25 dialogue out of a misconception that it is meant to honor President Ahmadinejad. The dialogue is intended to be a respectful conversation about the need for religious involvement in peacemaking, and it is not intended to honor the president or any other individual, Klassen said.

"It doesn't mean that we agree or support everything or anything that the person does, but it does mean that we recognize their humanity, and that God has created us all, and that we need to find ways to live together," Klassen said.

MCC is an 88-year-old relief, development and peace-building agency of Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches in the United States and Canada. These denominations are part of the historic peace church tradition that emphasizes nonviolent conflict resolution as an integral part of Christian faith.

Peacemaking dialogue Q&As
Building relationships with the Iranian people

1. Why is MCC co-hosting this event
MCC's work with Iran comes from the Christian conviction to live out the principles taught by Jesus Christ–to seek to love and to live at peace with all people, including those who might otherwise be considered enemies. This means undertaking dialogue, not merely with those who agree with us, but also those with whom we have stark and serious disagreements. As people of faith and people of peace, we advocate for governments to resolve their conflicts through dialogue rather than through military force. As Christians, we are called to walk the extra mile.

2. Who is attending the meeting?
Representatives from a variety of faith traditions including Christians, Jews and Muslims have been invited. The co-hosts of the meeting and members of the sponsoring committee include MCC, American Friends Service Committee, Quaker United Nations Office, Religions for Peace and World Council of Churches. In addition, the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations is a co-host.

3. Is MCC honoring the president of Iran?
This event is not intended to honor any individual. MCC believes this event offers the opportunity for listening to one another and asking one another important, and sometimes difficult, questions. The event is a place for people of different faiths to work toward building bridges of peace and understanding. MCC views respectful dialogue as a vital, nonviolent step in reducing the potentially deadly outcome of heightened political rhetoric and posturing.

4. What impact are these ongoing meetings having?
Building good relationships takes time, patience and persistence. Isolation does not bring peace. MCC is not alone in believing this. In recent months key members of Congress from both parties have called on the U.S. government to meet face-to-face with the Iranian government.

5. What is MCC's position on the controversy surrounding President Ahmadinejad?
President Ahmadinejad has made numerous, objectionable statements about Israel and the Holocaust. Iran's nuclear program is also viewed with great suspicion in the West. MCC has raised these issues in all three previous meetings with President Ahmadinejad. MCC's positions on these issues are clear:

*MCC recognizes the Holocaust as a historical fact and one of the great tragedies of human history.

*MCC advocates for a nonviolent and just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and believes that any solution should provide peace with justice for both peoples.

*MCC opposes nuclear proliferation and calls upon all nations with nuclear weapons to work toward disarmament.

*MCC is troubled by reports of increased religious persecution in Iran and the expanding use of the death penalty to punish religious converts.

*MCC believes that restoring diplomatic relations with Iran, rather than seeking to further isolate it with additional sanctions, offers a better opportunity to directly and candidly address serious issues of concern.

6. What is MCC’s program involvement in Iran?
MCC’s purpose for working in the Islamic Republic of Iran is to promote understanding and friendship between the people of Iran, Canada and the United States and peace between the governments of the countries.

MCC began working in Iran in 1990 after an earthquake killed more than 30,000 people in two northwestern provinces. Since then, MCC has provided nearly $6.5 million in aid to earthquake survivors, refugees and other people in need in Iran through Iranian partner organizations.

In 1998, MCC placed its first staff members in Iran by way of a student exchange program. Over the last 10 years, MCC's Iran program has helped four American couples study Farsi and Islam at Iran's Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute, and two Iranian students pursue doctoral degrees from the Toronto School of Theology. MCC has also organized three academic dialogues in Iran and Canada for Shi'a Muslim and Mennonite scholars. MCC organized learning tours to Iran in 2003, 2006 and 2008. Another learning tour is planned later this year, and another academic conference is planned for 2009.

More information about the dialogue will be posted at here after the event.

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