A Call to Dialogue

Read the statement on the war in Ukraine by DIALOP, Transversal Dialogue Project. DIALOP aims to promote dialogue between Marxist and Christian positions and develop common commitments to peace, non-violence, social justice, democracy, and ecological transformation.

The DIALOP is a joint project between universities, foundations, and associations, developed by faculty members with different ideological and philosophical, Marxist or Christian backgrounds. It is coordinated by Cornelia Hildebrandt, Co-President of transform! europe, Franz Kronreif and Luisa Sello, Focolare-Movement, and Walter Baier, Board member of transform! europe;

While in these days the Ukrainian people suffer the unbearable, and the Russian people are deceived by hermetical censorship, separating them from truthful information, while Europe, USA and most of the world try to punish the dictators, while young people die for no reason and hundred thousands flee desperately, while chaos, fear and hatred spread out with every new bombing, many helping hands distribute solidarity, support and help. Humanity does not expire, the opposite is true.

But the most important thing humanity arduous learns and in war tragically loses, this is
DIALOGUE.

Through dialogue we freely express our needs.

Through dialogue we realise the limits of our requests.

Through dialogue we see further and more, we open our mind and learn new solutions.

Through dialogue we stand face to face and reflect ourselves in others.

Through dialogue we find our adequate footprint on the planet.

Through dialogue we become rich in creativity, wide in judgement, cautious in prejudice and aware
in stupidity.

But dialogue declines when we loose respect, esteem, patience and sense of reality.

Dialogue declines when our greed takes advantage on equality.

Dialogue declines when self interest suckles good care.

Dialogue declines when only one person feels superior to the rest of the world.

And yet, if we want to survive, we have to practice dialogue again.

The defence of the oppressed is granted only by dialogue.

The building of peace is possible only through dialogue.

The safeguard of cultures, traditions, ethnicities, languages, religions will succeed through dialogue.

Dialogue is not a luxury good. It is our daily bread.

Dialogue is not a cultural amenity. It is the language among humans.

Dialogue is not weakness in thinking and acting. Indeed, it is the highest enhancement of thinking
and acting.

We trustfully call to negotiations. But even more, we trustfully call to DIALOGUE.

Let us together cry out from our hearts:
Never again war, never again the clash of arms, never again so much suffering! (Pope Francis)

We recommend:

transform! europe webinar: From Laudato si’ to Fratelli tutti

transform! europe webinar: Christian-Marxist Dialogue on Achieving Ecological Ecumenism

Michael LoewyMarxist-Christian Symposium on Common Challenges in Europe