Aga Khan - World Bank - London 1998

World Bank, religions to swap development ideas

04:18 a.m. Feb 08, 1998 Eastern


LONDON, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Leaders of nine world faiths are to meet the president of the World Bank in London next week for two days of unprecedented talks on poverty and development policies.

Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey and World Bank President James Wolfensohn said in a statement on Monday they hoped the meeting would foster a better understanding between financiers and religious groups about tackling global poverty.

``The dialogue will discuss how the criteria applied in development policies might continue to be broadened to include the notion of cultural, religious and social structures and values,'' they said.

``This meeting represents an important step towards a new relationship between the World Bank and the faiths,'' they added.

The February 18-19 meeting will bring together representatives from the Bahai, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jains, Jewish, Moslem, Sikh and Taoist faiths.

They include the Aga Khan, Crown Prince Hassan of Morocco and Rabbi Arthur Hertzberg, vice president emeritus of the World Jewish Congress.

The group will discuss how respect for different cultural values and faiths can be incorporated into development programmes, and the importance of including underprivileged groups. REUTERS


Back to Timeline 1998