20th August 2017
Joint Statement:
Religions united at the Barcelona & Cambrils terrorist attacks
The undersigned religious organizations wish to express our grief and outrage at the terrorist attacks that took place in Barcelona and Cambrils, and at the same time we extend our sincere support and sympathy for the physical and psychological victims of these abominable crimes.
In the roots of all religions we find profound connections that have inspired human throughout history. Amongst them, we mention the respect for life, contributions to social progress, love for our neighbour and compassion for all human beings. In this context, we believe that the manipulation of religion for purposes contrary to it, such as spurious economic and political interests and the use of violence to achieve any kind of objective can be found amongst the most abhorrent deeds that can be committed. Such behaviour weakens the social fabric, mutual trust and the friendly relations between the different peoples of the world.
The fight against fundamentalism, religious prejudice and the extremism that inspired the tragic attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils is a primary responsibility for all religions. Furthermore, it is evident that defence measures and mechanisms, albeit essential, are insufficient by themselves to erradicate the scourge of fundamentalism.
Therefore,
in this communiqué, apart from declaring our total rejection of this kind of deeds and expressing our condolences to those who have been affected, the undersigned express our wish to actively cooperate, with all the other social partners, in the search for medium and long term solutions for this complex and global problem.
Likewise, we offer our joint prayers for the consolation of the victims of these tragic events, trusting that they will strengthen public authorities and the security forces in this difficult task.
Grup de Treball Estable de Religions, GTER; Associació UNESCO per al Diàleg Interreligiós, AUDIR; Asociación para el Diálogo Interreligioso de la Comunidad de Madrid, ADIM; Comisión Ibérica del DIM, Diálogo Interreligioso Monástico; Religiones por la Paz y la Acogida; Federación Española de Entidades Religiosas Islámicas, FEERI; Organización Nacional para el Diálogo y la Participación, ONDA; Federación Islámica de Cataluña, FIC; Federación Islámica del País Vasco, FIVASCO; Federación Islámica de la Región de Murcia, FIRM; Federación Islámica de Andalucía, FIDA; Federación musulmana de la Comunitat Valenciana, FEMCOVA; Federación de Mezquitas de Madrid y Castilla de la Mancha, COMECAM; Federación Islámica de Rioja y Navarra, FIARNAR ; Tariqa Naqshbandi; Federación Hindu de España; Asociación de Teólogas y Teólogos Juan XXXIII; M.A.S., Movimiento Apostólico Seglar; Justicia y Paz, Comisión Diocesana de Madrid; Iglesia de la Comunidad Metropolitana de España; Iglesia Evangélica Española; Redes Cristianas; Centro Pastoral San Carlos Borromeo; Evangelio, justicia y derechos sociales; Comunidad Bahá'í; Juan José Tamayo, teólogo y director de la Cátedra de Teología y Ciencias Religiosas “Ignacio Ellacuría”; Guelong Karma Tenpa, monje budista del Centro Kagyu Dechen Ling; Rafa Millán, musulmán sufí; Francisco Brändle Matesanz, padre de los Carmelitas Descalzos; Ernestina Alvarez, monja benedictina del monasterio de Santa María Carbajal de León y Francisco Miguel Larburu, sacerdote católico de los Padres Blancos.
Permanent Working Group of Religions, GTER; UNESCO Association for Interreligious Dialogue, AUDIR; Association for Interreligious Dialogue of the Madrid Region, ADIM; Iberian Committee of the DIM, Monastic Interreligious Dialogue; Religions for Peace and Hospitality; Spanish Federation of Islamic Religious Entities, FEERI; Spanish Organization for Dialogue & Participation, ONDA; Islamic Federation of Catalonia, FIC; FIVASCO, Islamic Federation of the Basque Country; FIRM, Islamic Federation of the Region of Murcia; Moslem Federation of the Valencian Region, FEMCOVA; Madrid & Castilla La Mancha Mosques Federation, COMECAM; Tariqa Naqshbandi; Hindu Federation of Spain; Juan XXXIII Association of Female & Male Theologians; Secular Apostolic Movement;M.A.S.; Justice & Peace, Madrid Diocesan Committee; Church of the Metropolitan Community of Spain; Spanish Evangelical Church; Redes Cristianas; Pastoral Centre San Carlos Borromeo; Gospels, Justice & Social Rights; Bahá'í Community; Juan José Tamayo, theologian and director of the “Ignacio Ellacuría” Theology & Religious Sciences chair; Guelong Karma Tenpa, buddhist monk of the Kagyu Dechen Ling Centre; Rafa Millán, Sufi moslem; Francisco Brändle Matesanz, priest of the Discalced Carmelites; Ernestina Alvarez, Benedictine nun of the Santa María Carbajal de Leon Monastery and Francisco Miguel Larburu, catholic priest of the White Fathers.
Translation by Hugo Castelli Eyre