In his letter to the Indian premier, MWL Secretary-General Abdullah Al-Turki emphasized his organization’s efforts to promote and enhance constructive dialogue among adherents of different faiths and cultures.

The MWL has previously held interfaith dialogue conferences in Makkah, Madrid and Geneva.

The three-day conference is being organized by the International Interfaith Dialogue India (IIDI) in Kochi, a platform aimed at promoting peace, harmony and fraternity among various religious communities in India.

V.K. Abdul Aziz, director of Al-Hayat International School in Jeddah and an executive member of IIDI, said a high-level delegation led by professor M.D. Nalapat, K.J. Yesudas, Justice P.K. Shamsuddin and Justice K.A.A. Gafoor would soon meet Prime Minister Singh, Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna and Home Minister P. Chidambaram for getting their approval.

Abdul Aziz said the IIDI got the inspiration to host the conference from Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah’s interfaith dialogue initiative.

“Religions and Human Values” is the title of the conference, which is scheduled for April 2011, he said, adding that it would be held with the support of MWL and other national and international organizations.

Abdul Aziz highlighted the significance of such a conference in a country like India where communal tensions threaten its security and stability.

“The conference will surely evoke a positive thinking to strengthen Indian pluralism and secularism and help eliminate threats from disruptive forces,” he said. “We anticipate participation of about 50 delegates from various countries in Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Far East apart from 200 others from various parts of lndia, representing different religious and cultural groups.”

The IIDI, whose patrons include prominent personalities such as V.R. Krishna lyer, a former judge of the Supreme Court of India, and playback singer Yesudas, has held a number of meetings to prepare for the historic conference.

The organization’s governing body includes such eminent personalities and religious leaders as Swamy Agnivesh, Swamy Omkar Ananad Saraswathi Mahraj, Rev. Albert Nambiaparambil, Rev. Raphael Thattil and Jamal Mankada, the imam of Palayam Masjid in Kerala state capital Thiruvananthapuram.

“Helping people to understand other people’s religion and faith through dialogue is our main aim. With this in mind we are holding positive dialogues among diverse religious and cultural groups,” Abdul Aziz said.