{"id":6472,"date":"2026-09-19T17:20:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-19T15:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/europeanbuddhistunion.com\/european-buddhists-and-muslims-open-a-new-chapter-in-interfaith-dialogue\/"},"modified":"2026-09-19T17:20:00","modified_gmt":"2026-09-19T15:20:00","slug":"european-buddhists-and-muslims-open-a-new-chapter-in-interfaith-dialogue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/europeanbuddhistunion.com\/es\/european-buddhists-and-muslims-open-a-new-chapter-in-interfaith-dialogue\/","title":{"rendered":"European Buddhists and Muslims Open a New Chapter in Interfaith Dialogue"},"content":{"rendered":"

Imam Yahya Pallavicini \u00b7 Vice President of COREIS, Chairman of EULEMA<\/p>\n\n

The meeting, organised jointly by the European Buddhist Union (EBU) and the European Muslim Leaders Council (EULEMA), brought together religious leaders and scholars from Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Hosted in a prestigious venue provided by the City of Brussels, the event coincided with the EBU General Assembly and offered an unprecedented opportunity for dialogue between two spiritual traditions that have rarely engaged one another in a structured European context.<\/p>\n\n

Reflecting on the occasion, Imam Yahya Pallavicini, Vice President of the Italian Islamic Religious Community (COREIS) and Chairman of EULEMA, observed that the organisers may not have fully realised the significance of what they were creating. The practical demands of service, coordination and hospitality perhaps overshadowed the awareness that something both spiritually meaningful and historically significant was taking shape.<\/p>\n\n

\"Imam
Imam Yahya Pallavicini<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

The gathering raised important questions. How often have Buddhists and Muslims met in Europe to exchange views in a spirit of mutual respect and learning? What forms of cooperation might emerge from such encounters, and how could they contribute positively to European society? Equally important is the need to ensure that public discussions about Buddhism and Islam are informed by authentic knowledge rather than by ignorance, stereotypes or ideological distortions.<\/p>\n\n

To illuminate the potential of meaningful dialogue across traditions, Pallavicini pointed to the example of the Chinese Muslim scholar Liu Zhi (1660\u20131739). Liu sought to explain the Five Pillars of Islam through the categories of Confucian moral metaphysics, demonstrating how religious teachings can be communicated across cultural boundaries without compromising their integrity.<\/p>\n\n

According to Liu\u2019s interpretation, the profession of faith, prayer, fasting, almsgiving and pilgrimage guide believers along a path of spiritual return to their original nature. Prayer becomes a journey towards that return; fasting weakens attachment to worldly concerns; almsgiving uproots selfishness; and pilgrimage fulfils the divine command while directing the believer towards ultimate reality. These practices were presented within a broader vision of harmony between heaven, earth and humanity, enriched by the cosmological principles of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements.<\/p>\n\n

Liu\u2019s work remains a remarkable example of intellectual openness and cultural translation. Yet, as Pallavicini emphasised, such efforts should never lead to artificial syncretism or confusion between distinct religious traditions. Rather, they demonstrate the possibility of recognising shared spiritual and ethical principles while preserving the integrity of each faith.<\/p>\n\n

In contemporary Europe, this message carries particular relevance. Both Buddhists and Muslims are frequently viewed through the prism of geopolitical conflicts, ideological struggles or historical prejudices. Buddhism is often simplistically associated with China, while Islam is sometimes reduced to the actions of radical movements. Such narratives obscure the reality that millions of Buddhists and Muslims are integral members of European societies.<\/p>\n\n

The Brussels dialogue highlighted a different perspective: Buddhists and Muslims not as outsiders, but as European citizens contributing to the common good. Together, they can help promote a richer understanding of European citizenship\u2014one that fully respects religious pluralism while remaining rooted in shared civic values. Such an approach avoids confusing questions of religious identity with foreign policy, multicultural ideology or anxieties about national sovereignty.<\/p>\n\n

Beyond political considerations, both traditions offer a deeper contribution to contemporary society. They encourage a renewed appreciation of the symbolic and spiritual dimensions of life at a time when aggressive forms of secularism often seek to reduce human existence to purely material concerns. In doing so, they remind Europeans that genuine unity cannot be achieved through uniformity, but through harmony rooted in respect for diversity and transcendent values.<\/p>\n\n

The Brussels encounter between European Buddhists and Muslims may therefore represent more than a successful interfaith event. It may mark the beginning of a broader conversation about spirituality, citizenship and coexistence in twenty-first-century Europe\u2014a conversation grounded in mutual respect and animated by a shared commitment to peace.<\/p>\n\n

As Imam Pallavicini concluded, there remains confidence that the disciplines leading to liberation, enlightenment and true peace will ultimately prevail over the arrogance of those who seek to manipulate minds and souls.<\/p>\n\n

\n\n

About the author<\/h3>\n\n

Yahya Pallavicini Imam of al-Wahid central mosque in Milan. Vice President of COREIS, the Islamic Religious Community of Italy (www.coreis.it). Chairman of EULEMA, the European Muslim Scholars Council (Brussels, www.eulema.org). Advisor for Italian Islam to the Minister of the Interior of the Italian Government from 2005 to 2018, and Ambassador to ICESCO, the Islamic Organisation for Education, Culture and Science (Rabat, 2014 – 2023). Member of the G20 Religion Forum in Italy, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Indonesia (2020-2022) and of the WEF World Economic Forum, Global Council on Faith in Action.<\/p>\n\n

This article first appeared in EBU Magazine #15 \u2013 Practicing in Turbulent Times<\/a> (Autumn 2026). Download the full issue as PDF or browse all issues<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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