change language
you are in: home - ecumenis...dialogue - internat...or peace - septembe...or peace newslettercontact uslink

Support the Community

  

Let us help Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh

The Community of Sant'Egidio launches a fundraising campaign to send humanitarian aid to the refugee camps in Bangladesh, in collaboration with the local Church

Christmas Lunch with the poor: let's prepare a table table that reaches the whole world

The book "The Christmas Lunch" available online for free. DOWNLOAD! And prepare Christmas with the poor


 
printable version
September 13 2011 18:35 | Marienplatz

A TESTIMONY FROM OSLO JULY 22 by Christian Maelen Kvarme


Ole Christian Mælen Kvarme


Lutheran Bishop, Norway

    Norway is a country with one of the smaller populations in Europe. On July 22 a terrorist bomb shattered government buildings in Oslo and a massacre took place on an island nearby.  77 were killed and many more wounded. In our small population we all suffered the loss or the pain of a relative, a colleague or a friend.

    The majority of those killed were young people at a Labor Party youth camp on the island near Oslo. One of them was my good friend: a brilliant young man, a future leader in our church and political life. The terrorist attack shattered our future.

    If there were any naïveté in our peaceful society, it was also shattered. A blond Norwegian had attacked our open society, and his attack was particularly aimed at the presence of Muslims in our midst. How is it

possible to respond to such extremism and evil, to such attitudes and the rhetoric of hatred?

    In the midst of our mourning and anger, young people gave directions for our future. In our Cathedral I met several who survived the massacre, and I was touched by their determination: What we now need is not less openness, but more living together and to build trust through dialogue. A young woman said: “If one person can cause so much evil, think how much love we can create together.”

    People responded likewise. They took to the streets and adorned our squares with flowers and candles. Churches, mosques and synagogues were packed by people praying. In the Cathedral we read the beatitudes of Jesus: “Blessed are those who mourn, and those who hunger for righteousness. Blessed are the merciful and the peacemakers.” And we marched the streets, Christians and Muslims hand in hand, to practice a new-found sense of togetherness.

    Now the flowers have faded. Now we have to live with the pain and work on our shattered illusions. But the spirit of young people has given us hope. It is not a naïve hope, but a humble and Gospel-like commitment for the difficult road ahead: not hatred, but love and dignity for every human being. We are bound to live together and to do so in respect, dialogue and charity.     



Munich  2011

Messagge
of H.H. Pope
Benedict XVI


09.11 - Destined to live together: New York - München
Destined to Live Together
Semptember 11, 2001
Link New York-München 


RELATED NEWS
October 11 2017
HAVANA, CUBA

Religions gather in Havana to open Paths of Peace in Cuba


The interreligious meeting of prayer for peace organized by Sant'Egidio in the Caribbean State
IT | EN | ES | DE | NL | ID
September 25 2017
JOS, NIGERIA

The Spirit of Assisi in Nigeria: in Jos Christians and Muslims in dialogue to open new Paths of Peace


After Münster, the meetings of prayer and inter-religious dialogue promoted by Sant'Egidio in Africa
IT | EN | ES | DE | CA
September 22 2017
MÜNSTER, GERMANY

Paths of Peace: textes, videos and news of the International Meeting of prayer for peace of Münster

IT | EN | ES | FR | CA
September 14 2017

At the Roots of Terrorism. VIDEO


#Pathsofpeace
IT | EN | FR
September 12 2017
MÜNSTER, GERMANY

#pathsofpeace: world religions launch a movement to prevent conflicts. Next year's appointment in Bologna

IT | EN | NL
September 12 2017
OSNABRÜCK, GERMANY

Closing ceremony of Paths of Peace: all the interventions

IT | EN | ES | DE | CA | NL
all related news


BOOKS
Religions and Violence



Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
Making Peace



New City
other books

{PROGRAMMA_BOX_PP}