Both Islam and Buddhism “respect the sacredness of life and inherent dignity of human existence”, which is the foundation of all human rights without any distinction as to race, color, language, or religion.

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Monks carry posters of ‘take action immediately against Jihad fundamentalists’ while holding a prayer campaign at the fame Shwe Dagon Pagoda in Yangon on July 4, 2014. (Ye Aung Thu/AFP/Getty Images) | YE AUNG THU via Getty Images

Buddhist and Muslim leaders in South and Southeast Asia are working to spread a message of peace and dialogue as interreligious conflict continues to threaten stability in Myanmar, Sri Lanka and other nations in the region.

Religious leaders from 15 countries released the “Yogyakarta Statement,” named for the city where it was written, on March 5, reaffirming that Islam and Buddhism “are religions of mercy and compassion committed to justice for all humankind.” Now the group is working to translate their message into as many languages as possible and give it to Buddhist and Muslim leaders and believers around the world.

The Yogyakarta Statement came out of a summit called “Overcoming Extremism and Advancing Peace with Justice.” The gathering was organized by the Indonesian Ulema Council and the Council of Buddhist Communities, and was sponsored by the International Forum of Buddhist-Muslim Relations.

Both Islam and Buddhism “respect the sacredness of life and inherent dignity of human existence, which is the foundation of all human rights without any distinction as to race, color, language, or religion,” the statement says. It also covers topics ranging from hate speech and religious diversity to living in harmony with the environment.

At the end of the document, the signatories committed to having their communities and congregations serve “as a platform for intra-religious and inter-religious initiatives in education and advocacy.”

“The statement is currently being translated into local languages and will be disseminated to senior, mid- and grassroots-level Buddhist and Muslim leaders and believers, women and youth groups,” said Rev. Kyoichi Sugino, the deputy secretary general of Religions for Peace International, an interfaith NGO.

Much of the ongoing conflict in the… read more at huffingtonpost.com