'European Year of Intercultural Dialogue' ignored the Hindus

The much-glorified European Year of Intercultural Dialogue (EYID) 2008 initiative of European Union (EU) has failed to meet its own stated goals, Hindus assert. Acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that while one of major goals of EYID was to "promote knowledge, respect for and openness towards other beliefs"; Hinduism and Hindus appear to have been largely ignored. Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, says that idea behind EYID was highly commendable and interfaith dialogue should be promoted, but EYID's framing and implementation lacked its real spirit. Dialogue brings us reciprocal enrichment and aids us in seeing inter-reliance and interconnections between religions and even resemblance in doctrines. Zed says that out of over 750 EYID events being organized... [read full story]