The Archbishop of Canterbury has met with HE Mr Seyyed Muhammad Khatami, the former President of Iran who is visiting London this week .

Thursday 2nd November 2006

Dr Williams received Mr Khatami at Lambeth Palace this morning and the two discussed developing relationships between Christian and Muslim Institutions, especially the developing dialogue between the Church of England and Iranian Islamic organisations. The conversation explored a growing perception that peoples' spiritual needs were more urgent than ever and required a more comprehensive response than modern society and culture seemed able to offer.

Dr Williams was encouraged to learn of Mr Khatami's work in establishing a centre in Geneva to pursue his 'Dialogue of Civilisations' initiative. Dr Williams said that the meeting had been a positive one:

"I was heartened by the support Mr Khatami expressed for the idea that religious leaders in places of tension and conflict should play a vital role in building confidence and trust between communities. People of faith have much to contribute to the solving of the problems caused by mistrust and misunderstanding. "

The meeting was followed by a seminar on Christian Muslim relations and a discussion about a number of Archbishop's initiatives, including the Building Bridges Seminars and the trilateral seminar series between the Institute of Inter-religious Dialogue in Iran, the Lutheran Church of Germany (EKD) and the Church of England. The seminar also heard about the formal relationship between the Anglican Communion and the premier Islamic University of al-Azhar al Sharif in Egypt through which exchanges of imams and clergy in training are currently taking place. The seminar heard from the Revd Nigel Dawkins who spent six weeks in the summer at Al Alzhar University. Mr Khatami also briefed the seminar about the centre for the Dialogue of Civilisations that he is establishing in Geneva.

ENDS

Notes for editors: 
 
The meetings come in a busy period of interfaith contact and engagement for the Archbishop; meeting as he has with religious leaders from Judaism and Islam domestically and internationally, as he continues to build the personal relationships that are necessary to enable dialogue to develop fruitfully.

In September Dr Williams received the Chief Rabbis of Israel, alongside Bishop Suheil Dawani, Bishop in Jerusalem, and signed a dialogue agreement together, thereby matching the existing dialogue agreement with the premier Islamic University, Al Azhar in Cairo. That latter agreement will lead to a meeting tomorrow (Friday 3rd November) at Lambeth with the Grand Mufti of Egypt, Dr Ali Gomaa who is the most senior religious leader in Egypt after the Grand Imam of Al Azhar. The Al Azhar dialogue has led to exchanges of clergy and imams in training and of senior scholars such as Dr Gomaa. The Archbishop will be accompanied by Bishop Mouneer Anis in Egypt and North Africa.

Last week the Archbishop sent an Eid message to 50 Muslim religious leaders in this country expressing both his awareness of the strains and stresses that Muslim and other communities are under in many places internationally and at home, and the need to resist those who advocate or justify violence in the name of religion

This week Rabbi Tony Bayfield, the Chief Executive of the Reform Synagogues of Great Britain received a Doctorate of Divinity from the Archbishop in a ceremony in the Guard Room at Lambeth Palace.