A joint Islamic-Christian global initiative has been launched for interaction, love of neighbour and accord, to replace the state of hatred, discord and wars which are prevailing in the world today.

This was stated by Dr Habib Ali Al Jafri, representing 138 Muslim scholars, and Prof Miroslav Volf, director of Faith and Culture, faculty of Theology, Yale University in the US, representing 300 leaders of Christian congregations at an international press conference held at the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation here yesterday (November 26).

Dr Al Jafri and Prof Volf announced that the initiative had been launched on behalf of Islamic and Christian sects to spread interfaith harmony and global peace.

In reply to a question by Khaleej Times, Miroslav Volf said the Christian world announced on Sunday (November 18) in The New York Times that 300 church ministers and theologians were responding to an open message delivered by 138 Muslim scholars to Christian leaders under the title "A Common Word between Us and You".

Admitting the deep scars in relations between Muslims and Christians today, he said, "Given the deep fissures in the relations between Christians and Muslims, the task before us is daunting. And the stakes are great. The future of the world depends on our ability as Christians and Muslims to live together in peace. We are persuaded that our next step should be for our leaders at every level to meet together and begin the earnest work of determining how god would have us fulfil the requirement that we love god and one another."

Turning to interfaith dialogue, he said the Palestinian cause and Jewish representation will figure high on the Islam-Christianity dialogue. Al Jafri indicated that he had talked to the 138 Muslim scholars who sent the open letter on October 13, 2007 to leaders of Christian churches. "Today, I welcome on behalf of them the historic Christian response from which we will start our meetings all over the world. We take the opportunity on the 36th anniversary of the UAE National Day to launch the Muslim-Christian unity initiative as an omen of good as the UAE stands today as an example of tolerance and peaceful coexistence. Its general policy also promotes constructive dialogue and spread of good and peace," he said.

"A unity and detente between Muslims and Christians simply means a convergence of 55 per cent of the world population, a move that heralds peace rather than war," he said.

The campaign will be spearheaded by leaders of the Islamic and Christian worlds and training workshops on the theme will be held at mosques and churches.