Declaration concerning “Charlie Hebdo” violence

Calling for human and spiritual solidarity with the victims of the attack on “Charlie Hebdo” and their families
Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue

January 8, 2015

“As we reach the end of the meeting in Rome of the four Imams of France, who attended yesterday’s general audience along with the delegation from the French Episcopal Conference, the participants, shocked by the heinous attack on 7 January 2015 on the offices of the publication ‘Charlie Hebdo’, wish once more to echo the words pronounced by Pope yesterday and this morning, denouncing this cruelty and blind violence. Like him, we invite believers to show through friendship and prayer their human and spiritual solidarity towards the victims and their families.

In these circumstances, it should be noted that, without freedom of speech, the world is in danger: it is imperative to oppose hate and every form of violence that destroys human life, violates the dignity of the person and radically undermines the foundation of peaceful co-existence between persons and peoples, notwithstanding differences of nationality, religion and culture.

Religious leaders are called upon to further promote a ‘culture of peace and hope able to conquer fear and to build bridges between people.

Considering the impact of the media, their leaders are invited to offer information that is respectful of religions, their followers and their practices, thus favouring a culture of encounter.

Interreligious dialogue remains the only path to follow together to dissipate prejudice”.

Signed by

Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue
Bishop Michel Dubost of Evry-Corbeil et Essonnes, president of the Council for Interreligious Relations of the Bishops’ Conference of France
Imam Tareq Oubrou, Rector of the Great Mosque of Bordeaux
Imam Azzedine Cami, Rector of the Mosque “Othmane” de Villeurbanne
Imam Mohammed Moussaoui, President of the “Union des Mosquées de France (UMF)
Imam Djelloul Seddiki, Director of the “Institut Al Ghazali de la Mosquée de Paris”
Fr. Christophe Roucou, director of the National Service for Relations with Islam, France.