Dear Salik,
It was wonderful talking to you last night and really enjoyed our discussion about setting up the World Minorities Alliance Assembly and holding of a peace conference this year in Islamabad.
I am delighted with this initiative as such an initiative is essential to bring peace and harmony particularly for minorities living in any country. It’s a big task, however with your leadership and millions of people around the world can make this a reality.
You are doing a great service for mankind and I will be honored to help you bring the message out.
I would like to discuss one passage each from each Abrahamic Religions. Interesting thing is all three of “Abrahamic” Religions teach love and toleration.

Al-Baqarah 2:139, from the Quran
Why do you dispute with us about the God? When He is equally your Lord and Our Lord? To us belong our actions, to You yours, and we are true to Him.

Leviticus 19:17- 19:18 from Torah
Thou shall not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shall not in any way wise rebuke thy neighbor and not suffer sin upon him. Thou shall not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

Ist Corinthians 13:4-13;7 from the Bible
Love is patience, love is kind and is not jealous, and love does not brag and is not arrogant. It does act unbecomingly, it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong, does not rejoice in unrighteousness.

You can find in Quran other passages that are not so tolerant of Christianity or Judaism, but that can be ascribed chiefly to the author’s trying to convince the reader that Islam (which means “peace”) is superior to, less adulterated than Christianity and more highly evolved than Judaism.
You can also find passage in the Christian Bible critical of Jews, from whom the Christian were trying to distance them. Jews in their time were hardly encouraging to worshippers of Baal. Generally speaking, all three religions fairly tolerant of each other faith.
What happened? Religion becomes instrument of power a cause for division among people who basically believed in peace and harmony. We look for differences instead points of agreement. Well its time to stop stressing our differences and acknowledge the primacy of our common humanity our shared love of life. Its time to fall on each other shoulder and forgive and ask forgiveness for what has passed and to pledge to love each other for ever.
I honestly thing that “Alliance for Minority” can spread this message all around the world and take a lead in bringing Abrahamic Religions closer.


 

J. Salik, a True Hero of Minorities and an ambassador for peace

Actually Muslim-Christian dialogue is a dialogue among believers. They identify this endeavor as a practical expression of their religious values, values which give substance to the meaning of pluralism, mutual awareness, and the unqualified dignity of the human being, and of the values of justice, fairness, truth, decency, fellow feeling, affection, mercy and the stewardship of creation. Dialogue is a prerequisite for coexistence, for national unity, and for constructive social interaction between the citizens of one nation. Furthermore it is a spiritual, moral and cultural requirement mandated by the principle of mutual understanding among believers. This principle nurtures values of mutual respect, strengthens the bonds of friendship, and corrects the distorted and stereotypical images that make for mutual alienation and fear.
J Salik has played a commendable role in Pakistan to highlight the positive and bright examples of how people can live together, stand in solidarity with each other, express mutual respect, and show each other affection. As Federal Minister for Minorities Government of Pakistan, Member of Parliament and Human Rights Activist, Salik has earned great respect internationally. His strong voice for religious harmony and freedom is being heard from the past three decades worldwide. His recent announcement to convene a Christian Muslim International Minorities Conference at Pakistan is a most timely and wise decision, his initiative to secure a Religious Minorities Seat in the United Nations will certainly draw the world’s attention for the perseverance of world peace.

I firmly endorse J. Salik’s viewpoint that without respect for Muslim and Christian religious sensibilities, symbols and sacred things, dialogue and coexistence will be deficient. As a friend of Salik’s from the past thirty years, I am happy to learn of all of his initiatives and would consider it an honor to support him.

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Message From Dr. Stephen Gill

Dear Mr. Julius Salik:

Mr. Julius Salik, please accept my congratulations for arranging a conference on world peace that is the need of the day and should be the prime goal of every human and every government, more than it had been ever before.

There is more need for peace now because of the engines of destruction are within the easy reach of any human. The formation of an unholy marriage between science and fanaticism is digging a grave for harmony. The key to the achievement of harmony and peace is at the door of tolerance that embodies the ideology of live and let live. By publishing some cartoons about the prophet Mohammed, some countries have hurt the sensibilities of Muslims. This is obviously against the ideology of live and let live.

At the same time, several Muslim nations, including Pakistan, have  hurt and are  still hurting the sensibilities of minorities, particularly Christians and Jews, through writing and illustrations. One can go to any book store in Pakistan and buy books against minorities based on misinformations. This is also against the ideology of live and let live.

The structure of live and let live is based on tolerance. God himself is the supreme example of tolerance. Tolerance is not suffering or weakness. It is not even surrender to an unpleasant situation. It is not fortitude and physical endurance either. Tolerance is rather calmness and stability– it is the understanding of the fact that a singular unit can never be complete and self-sufficient because every unit depends on other units for survival. Moreover, diversity is attractive and a valuable asset for any nation.

It is very encouraging that the United Nations has proved its interest in the spirit of tolerance through several means. I am happy to note that your conference will present a memorandum to the United Nations, requesting to have a seat for a delegate from minorities. It is an adorable step toward the right direction. I always believed that the establishment of a strong United Religions Organization, along the lines of the United Nations, would also be an adorable step toward right direction.

I congratulation you Mr. Julius Salik and your executive for organizing this worthwhile gathering of the lovers of peace. I am sure the gathering is going to be exceedingly productive. I wish you all the best,

Dr. Stephen Gill   Box 32, Cornwall, Ont. K6H 5R9 Canada. (TEL. 613-932-7735) website:http://home.ican.net/~sgill www.authorsDen.com/stephengill

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Message From Zahid Shahab Ahmed

Dear Mr. J.Salik, Hi! With due deference, it is to inform you that I am a scholar (Master’s in in Peace Education )at The United Nation University for Peace, Costa Rica www.upeace.org). And, I opted for studies in peace education after conducting a comprehensive field research “teachers’ attitudes and practices towards Indo/ I conflict” in India and Pakistan. The study was an out come of the project proposal put forward obtain a conflict Transformation Award-2005 from The Foundation for Universal Responsibility of I Holiness The Dalai Lama, India (www.furhhdl.org). What is a peace education? Peace is not just a society without weapons or just absence of war, peace something much beyond that; an environment to enjoy the highest level of inner peace. This notion inner peace demands a holistic model of education in all societies; an education, which will advocate the rights of all members of this global village. Nevertheless, societies; also have to believe on issues I justice, law and order. However, education is an important tool to achieve that stage in the society when the inner peace will be justified, for all its inhabitants. This approach of education is know as “peace education”, which will be addressing all existing concerns of positive and negative peace in the society peace education if defined as “an education for transforming consciousness and worldview toward culture of peace and nonviolence; rests on developing a critical understanding of root causes of conflict and violence and to build a peaceful self and world ;takes place across all modes (formal ,non-form informal) and levels, relying on participatory ,creative, and critical pedagogies. It is to inform you that I will be coming back to Pakistan ,after graduating in August 2006. And after time I would love to work for this conference and contribute through my peace education knowledge. Please consider me for this event and let me know what I can do for your endeavors. My CV is attached for you perusal.

Zahid Shahahb Ahmed M.A Peace Education Candidate Dean For Academic Administration Department University of Peace USA.
____________________________________________ Message From Dr Ashraf Choudhary Dear sir I have just read your webpage about setting up the World Minorities Alliance Assembly and holding of a peace conference this year in Islamabad. I am delighted with this initiative as such an initiative is essential to bring peace and harmony particularly for minorities living in any country. I am not sure if you are aware that I am Member of Parliament of New Zealand (I am the first Muslim and Person of Pakistan / Indian origin to become member of Parliament of NZ) for last number of years and am keenly involved in the interfaith dialogue both within New Zealand and in the South East Asian and Pacific region. Over last two Regional Interfaith dialogue meeting; and our Prime Minister are recently in the Philippines .Our Lab our Party government, of which I am member, and our next conference is in New Zealand next year and we are expecting about 200 delegates to participate from the 15 member countries in the region. I am enclosing my membership From. Let me know when you are having the conf. in Islamabad as I would be keen to attend this if circumstance allow me to do so.
Dr Ashraf Choudhary QSO Member of Parliament NewZealand
____________________________________________ Message from Dr Muhammad Ahsan Thought for the World Minority Alliance This is with reference to the establishment of World Minority Alliance. I would like to say that I pray to God for peace and security in the world so that the dream of human development and dignity may be materialised through the process of promotion of objectives of World Minority Alliance. May humankind be able to see a world different from the present one; free from religio-racial discrimination, human-deprivation, human-insecurity, isolation, illiteracy, injustice, hunger, aggression, wars and violence. And, may religion, diversity and culture  be used to promote unity, peace, prosperity and pluralism rather than intolerance and violence.
Dr Muhammad Ahsan FRSA, Research Consultant, UK
____________________________________________ Message from Dr Ishtiaq Ahmed I am truly delighted to learn that you have established a World Minority Alliance Assembly. It was long overdue. There are minorities all over the world and many of them they are marginalized and ignored. In some countries they are subjected to persecution through formal discriminatory laws and even constitutional provisions, while elsewhere they are the victims of social stigma deriving from cultural prejudices. I have always believed that minorities should enjoy religious freedom and should be helped to preserve their distinct identity, but simultaneously they should be integrated into the universal and inclusive category of citizens with equal rights. Moreover, even affirmative action is justified to help historically disadvantaged groups to enter public life on equal footing with mainstream society. It is imperative that the new body that you have established does not confine its activities only to the rights of religious or sectarian minorities; it is important to include also ethnic and linguistic minorities that are discriminated or persecuted. The UN is the best place to raise a voice against discrimination and persecution of minorities. By networking globally one can give a voice to minorities. I wish you great success with your initiative and you can count on my support in this endeavour. Best regards,
Dr Ishtiaq Ahmed Associate Professor Department of Political Science Stockholm University Sweden.
____________________________________________ Message from Syed Yousuf Gilani Dear Mr. Julius Salik, Mr. Julius Salik, please accept my congratulations for arranging a world minorities conference on world peace. I am delighted with this initiative as such an initiative is essential to bring peace and harmony particularly for minorities living in any country. I am member of Drammen city council representing the labour party in Norway and head of the immigration council in Drammen. I am also member of United Nations associations. I have been active in politics for 12 year. When I read about the World Minorities conference in Pakistan, which you have taken the first step for I was really glad. It is an adorable step toward the right direction. There are minorities all over the world and I think they are facing the same challenges: citizens with equal rights. This is with the reference to the establishment of World Minority Alliance. I pray to God for peace and security in the world. I would love to work for this conference and contribute through my knowledge. I wish you success with your initiative. Please consider me for this event and let me know what I can do for your endeavours. With best regards
Syed Yousuf Gilani Member of Drammen City Council Labour Party in Norway and head of the Immigration Council in Drammen
____________________________________________ Message from Mohammad A. Toor Dear Mr. J. Salik: Thanks for the campaign initiated by yourself with the help of the supporters. Pakistan became a reality as the Congress leadership did not wish to give Equal Rights Proportionate to the minority in percentage to the majority. This intransigence lead to the dream of Pakistan becoming reality. Minorities world over need to be made aware the focus you have been promoting, to empower the minority full & proportionate participation. That could assure peace & harmony.
MOHAMMAD A. TOOR United States of America.
____________________________________________ Message from Liaquat Ali During my visit to Pakistan last month I was invited, with Lord Nazir Ahmed, to meet Julius Salik. I was very impressed with his work and what he is doing for the minorities in the rest of the world and for the Minority Alliance. I would like to offer my support for the work done by Julius Salik through World Minorities Alliance. I am very pleased that he is trying to get a special seat reserved in the United Nations to represent minorities all over the world. I fully support Julius in this matter and hope that he will achieve his goal in the near future. Yours sincerely
Liaquat Ali Town Mayor of High Wycombe Melanie Morgan Secretary to the Mayor of High Wycombe