King Abdullah to attend UN interfaith dialogue next month

King Abdullah made the remarks during an October 25 audience with Minister of Culture and Information Iyad Madani and members of the press in Riyadh.

“I will go to America for the dialogue of followers of religions currently under way,” King Abdullah said. “The dialogue of followers of religions is a duty on every male and female human being.”

The King noted that the interfaith dialogue comes at a time when the world is criticizing Islam. “It is regrettable that some of our sons are tempted by Satan or brothers of Satan,” he said.

“This [dialogue] is in the interest of the world, not only in our interest. It demonstrates that Islam is a religion of dialogue, not a religion of force and violence. It is a religion of dialogue,” the King said.

In July 2008, the World Conference on Dialogue was held in Madrid, Spain on the initiative of King Abdullah. The conference ended with a call for a UN session on dialogue.