Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium, Exarch of the Netherlands and Luxembourg, participated in an international interfaith conference held at the Egmont Palace in Brussels on Friday, October 2, 2026, emphasizing the importance of dialogue in promoting peaceful coexistence and social cohesion.
The conference, entitled “Safeguarding Social Cohesion Through Dialogue in a Changing World,” was jointly organized by the Muslim World League and the Centre for Studies and Research on the Arab and Mediterranean World (CERMAM). It was chaired by Sheikh Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, as part of his official visit to Belgium.
The gathering brought together representatives of Belgium’s recognized religious communities, academics, politicians, experts and civil society representatives. Among those attending were leaders of the Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant and Jewish communities, as well as the Director of the Office of King Philippe of Belgium.
In his address, Metropolitan Athenagoras stressed the urgent need for genuine dialogue, warning that without meaningful encounters and communication, individuals and religious communities risk becoming isolated and living in separate worlds.
He highlighted the dangers of fanaticism, extremism and terrorism, emphasizing the shared responsibility of religious communities to confront these challenges.
The Metropolitan also underlined the importance of sustained dialogue among the leaders of the major monotheistic religions, recalling initiatives undertaken by the Pope, the Ecumenical Patriarch, the Archbishop of Canterbury and other prominent religious figures.
Referring to Belgium, he welcomed the existing interfaith dialogue and called for its further development through meaningful encounters, mutual listening and a deeper understanding of different religious traditions.
He concluded by emphasizing that, amid growing social polarization, religious communities have an important role to play in fostering mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and social cohesion.
