VZCZCXRO0229
PP RUEHIK
DE RUEHROV #0137/01 3521245
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 181245Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1222
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0118
RUEHVJ/AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO 0009
RUEHGE/AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN 0011
RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 0016
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0038
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0103
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 0024
RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 1261

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 000137 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR G, S/P, S/GPI, AND S/SRMC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM SOCI SCUL KIRF VT
SUBJECT: PROPOSALS FOR COLLABORATING WITH THE VATICAN ON INTERFAITH 
DIALOGUE 
 
REF: A. A) MECHAM-NOYES EMAIL OF DECEMBER 1, 2009 
     ¶B. B) VATICAN 134 
     ¶C. C) VATICAN 135 
 
VATICAN 00000137  001.3 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (U) Catholics and the organized Catholic Church are present 
in virtually every country of the world, and the Holy See is 
second only to the United States in terms of relations with 
other states.  Given this near-universal presence and the 
Vatican's critical role in interfaith dialogues, Embassy Vatican 
has liaised closely with the Holy See on inter-religious 
dialogue.  The Holy See has reservations about governmental 
involvement in the purely theological aspects of interfaith 
dialogue (ref c), but the Vatican has willingly engaged with the 
Embassy on concrete interfaith and related initiatives. 
 
 
 
¶2. (U) In 2009, for example, the Embassy: 
 
 
 
-- Sponsored a conference in January on the American model of 
secularism for an audience of Vatican officials, representatives 
from the 78 resident embassies accredited to the Holy See, the 
media, and academic institutions.  Over 200 people attended, and 
the discussion led to weeks of positive commentary.  (Note: 
Copies of the conference's proceedings are available.  Contact 
PAO Nathan Bland at: blandjn@state.gov) 
 
-- Gave a grant to a Vatican-sponsored organization to run a 
week-long seminar in April, for Catholic and Jewish young people 
from several countries to train them to participate in 
interfaith dialogues in the future. 
 
-- Sponsored a speaker from the United States in May to discuss 
how faith-based communities can work together to help fight 
climate change globally.  The speaker was invited to join a 
Catholic Church-sponsored delegation to the Copenhagen Climate 
Summit. 
 
-- Funded the publication in the fall of the annual journal on 
Islamic-Christian relations by the Pontifical Institute for 
Study of Arabic and Islam (PISAI). 
 
 
 
¶3. (SBU) Embassy Vatican is planning additional activities in 
the months ahead to further advance interfaith dialogue with, 
and through, the Vatican and Vatican-affiliated organizations: 
 
 
 
-- A conference, possibly with co-sponsors, on how governments 
and faith communities have -- and can continue to -- interact to 
achieve concrete goals in areas like peace, environmental 
protection, health care, combating trafficking in persons, and 
aid to migrants and refugees. 
 
-- An interfaith service project related to Earth Day. 
 
-- A follow-up grant to PISAI for additional inter-religious 
publications in 2010. 
 
-- Participation by the Ambassador in the Sant'Egidio 
Community's interfaith gathering in the fall. 
 
 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Embassy would appreciate the opportunity to engage 
Washington officials in its interfaith discussions with the 
Vatican, as follows: 
 
 
 
-- Digital Video Conferences with USG officials working on 
interfaith issues and Vatican or Vatican-affiliated officials, 
and Ambassadors to the Holy See, on topics to be confirmed. 
Embassy proposals are USG's Muslim outreach efforts, and 
interfaith action to combat Trafficking in Persons. 
 
-- Visits and in-person discussions on promoting interfaith 
 
VATICAN 00000137  002.3 OF 002 
 
 
dialogue and action on shared priorities between U.S. and 
Vatican officials, in Rome or Washington. 
 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) Embassy Vatican would also welcome the opportunity to 
partner with other U.S. embassies on interfaith initiatives. 
Specifically, the Embassy would like to co-sponsor with 
embassies in other regions: 
 
 
 
-- A photo competition for young people between the ages of 
12-17 on the topic of interaction and collaboration between 
people of different faiths; and subsequent exhibits of the 
winning photos from all participating countries 
 
-- DVC dialogues between students at Pontifical Universities and 
students at Middle Eastern or other universities on interfaith 
issues, in the lead-up to the October 2010 Synod (i.e., formal 
meeting) of Catholic Bishops from the Middle East. 
 
 
 
Embassy Vatican PAO will contact PAO's at other embassies with 
specific proposals on both these initiatives.  Embassy Vatican 
would be open to other suggestions for collaboration with other 
missions on interfaith issues. 
 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) Finally, and in keeping with the QDDR objectives of 
pursuing "whole of government" solutions and outreach to 
non-traditional partners, Embassy Vatican would like to join 
broader interfaith efforts under consideration at the 
Department.  Specifically, Embassy Vatican offers to host and 
help organize a regional meeting of an interfaith working group 
(ref A), on a topic to be decided.  Possibilities include: 
Protecting the Environment (a major priority of the Benedict XVI 
papacy) or Care and Protection of Refugees (also a Vatican 
priority and a major issue in Europe).  Rome is a central 
location, mid-point between the United States and some of the 
countries with which inter-faith discussions are most needed. 
Moreover, an event here could help tap into and build on the 
Vatican's already considerable inter-religious dialogues and 
networks.  Finally, U.S. support for an event in Rome would also 
signal to the Holy See, the base for the world's largest single 
religion, U.S. seriousness about building bridges between 
traditional and non-traditional partners to advance policy 
priorities. 
 
 
 
¶7. (U) Ambassador Miguel Diaz will be in Washington the week of 
January 4, 2010 and is requesting appointments with Department 
officials to discuss these proposals in greater depth. 
DIAZ