Mennonite
Central
Committee

MCC Executive Director's opening comments

Address to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran at the Peacemaking Dialogue, September 25, 2008, New York City

By Arli Klassen, Executive Director, MCC

President Ahmadinejad, President d'Escoto, Foreign Minister Mottaki, Former Prime Minister Bondevik, Dr. Brademas, and all gathered here this evening, I extend to you a warm welcome. My name is Arli Klassen, and I serve as the Executive Director of Mennonite Central Committee.

We will share a dinner and conversation together this evening, people from different religions, different nationalities, and different cultures. We have come here because as people of faith, as people who have all been created by God, we believe it is possible – not only possible but required of us – to find ways to build understanding and peace between us. We also believe in the right of the people gathered across the street to bear witness to their views. Has not one God created us all?

We have gathered as people of faith, as people who share a belief in God, believing that our faith makes a difference in our world – a difference for the good. We are gathered as Christians and Muslims and Jews and Buddhists and Hindus and Zoroastrians. We wish more of us were from the Jewish faith, but even this event is not seen as a safe enough space for many Jewish people. Has not one God created us all?

As a symbol of our faith, I light this oil lamp, similar to the one we gave to you, President Ahmadinejad, last year, and similar to oil lamps that have been lit in many of our Mennonite churches, as a commitment to building bridges of understanding that lead to peace. Today we light this oil lamp here, as a reminder of this commitment. We also light this lamp as a way of committing our time together, before our almighty and merciful God. Has not one God created us all?

There is a diverse range of experiences and perspectives represented in this room. I come before all of you as a Christian, as a Mennonite Christian. Our faith group, like others, has experienced persecution as a religious minority in our history. We continue to take inspiration from our forefathers and foremothers who were martyred for their beliefs, including their commitment to reaching out in love to those who persecuted them. We value societies that encourage religious diversity, and believe that respect for other religions leads to peace. Has not one God created us all?

I also come before you as someone who has participated in Mennonite Central Committee's exchange program with Iran. I have become friends with the Iranian students who studied in Ontario. I have participated in the theological conferences, some of which have also drawn negative publicity. I have visited Iran. I admire Persian culture, and I respect the faith of the Iranians I have come to know. We have found ways to take each other's faith commitments seriously, and to challenge each other to live out those faith commitments in a way that addresses poverty and conflict in our world. We appreciate the commitment from Iran to participate in these forums for dialogue, for building bridges of understanding.

We are here today to reflect together on what it is about our faiths that contributes to peacemaking and tackling difficult issues in our world today. We are here to reflect together on what brings us together, and on where we disagree. I look forward to each speaker's contribution to our shared understanding about our faiths.

As a Christian, I believe that we are following Jesus Christ's example and his teaching as we eat together and hold this dialogue despite our many differences. As Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."

This year, once again, relationships between Iran and the United States, and Iran and Israel, remain in an unresolved state of high tension. All of us are concerned about these tensions, and as people of faith, we seek ways to de-escalate them. We do not believe that armed conflict will solve the problems between these countries. We need to build bridges.

We are aware of and regret our own nations’ contributions to these tensions. As peacemakers, we regularly seek to address those policies of our governments, which do not help life flourish for all people. Still, we call on you to take steps for peace. There are a few areas in particular that remain high points of tension, and we have spoken to these in the past. All who have participated in the past and all who are here today want to see our dialogue move us forward. I'd like to note these again, that these are areas where the rhetoric is not leading us to bridges of understanding and peace. Mr. President, we ask you to consider these four items, which we believe can build peace in our world.

1. The unresolved situation of the Palestinian people in the current Palestine/Israeli conflict is utterly deplorable. We know because our people have worked in Palestine for nearly 60 years. At the same time, there is no question in our minds that the Holocaust is a historical fact, and one of the great tragedies of human history. Jewish people have suffered tremendously due to discrimination, and attempts at outright genocide, and this is utterly deplorable. Mr. President, we are deeply concerned when your statements about the Holocaust minimize or diminish its impact on our world today, and on Jewish people today. We ask you to change the way you speak about the Holocaust.
2. Often your public rhetoric around the world is heard as a threat to destroy the State of Israel. We have also heard you state that you favour a "one-state solution" to the Palestine/Israel conflict, without using a military solution. The world needs to know, unequivocally, that you are speaking about a political, not a military solution.
3. As a religious minority which has experienced persecution, Mennonites believe in the right of all people to choose for themselves their own religious perspective. We ask you to find a way within your own country to allow for religious diversity, and to allow people to make their own choices as to which religion they will follow. True faith cannot be forced; it must be a personal choice.
4. As people of peace, we are committed to non-violent conflict resolution. We oppose nuclear arms for all nations. Within your own country, if you are serious about using nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, we urge you to be transparent and open about all your nuclear activities.

We continue to believe that it is only through dialogue that understanding can begin, and from understanding can flow respect. We are committed to understanding and respect, even where we disagree. We are in dialogue with you tonight, Mr. President, about our concerns about Iran. We continue to speak with our own governments, sharing our concerns about how they approach these conflicts.

Tonight we are delighted to have a variety of speakers to share their perspectives on the significant of religious contributions to peace, including yourself, Mr. President. It is our hope that as religious and political leaders, this meal together, and this exchange of views, will enable us to explore faith perspectives for dealing with global issues such as poverty, war, and prejudice, while deepening mutual understanding. Has not one God created us all?