By Gabriela Frey \u00b7 EBU Network Coordinator<\/p>\n\n
Education in the sense of the German word \u201cBildung\u201d, includes professional training, fact-based learning, culture, knowledge, and personality development, up to and including critical discernment and a sense of social responsibility. In this sense, education is not limited to school but is a lifelong activity. Education in the sense of knowledge and the perception of how others think and feel is holistic and concerns the whole human individual. Empathy, respect and self-reflection are essential aspects of this education. In this sense, education is foremost about learning self-critical analysis of one\u2019s positions in relation with others who think and feel differently. For this reason, one should consider education to be an essential element of dialogue, especially the field of inter-religious and interconvictional dialogue.<\/p>\n\n
In Europe, the Abrahamic religions played an important role in creating identity and preserving traditions. At the INGOS conference in the Council of Europe, the European Buddhist Union created a committee for interreligious and interconvictional dialogue in order to bring new aspects into the European debates. Buddhism is partly based on different philosophical foundations. At least in Europe, Buddhist communities are not involved in the construction of classical cultural and national identity. Buddhism can therefore offer new perspectives without the usual historical burden. The Dialogue Committee is not limited to religious belief systems; it is open to other worldview communities and to dialogue with secular and religious philosophies.<\/p>\n\n
The committee focus on the fundamental importance and role of education for interreligious and interconvictional dialogue in the many forms of dialogue groups that exist in our societies to date. Despite all the considerable efforts, one cannot help but notice that the expanded and tolerant communication skills that are being aimed at do not necessarily lead to an improved and balanced understanding of the Other. What aspects of education and training must we focus on in order to achieve a more understanding, tolerant, balanced and respectful coexistence of the religions and worldviews involved? They are all based on behaviour, core attitudes and values. Values are usually not purely abstract concepts, but are closely related to emotions, which are both extensive and very complex. Recognising and understanding them in others is facilitated by education – but not alone. The committee explores in debates and webinars how effective education and training are in helping people understand each other\u2019s values and attitudes. It is important to explore the feelings associated with these values and attitudes. It is crucial to find and highlight new ways to empower existing religious and interconvictional dialogue groups to focus their attention on the importance and role of education – formal and informal \u2013 and making it more inclusive and inspiring.<\/p>\n\n
The distinction between formal and non-formal education is important because the latter goes beyond school education in terms of age, structure and scope, but is an essential aspect in shaping a democratic society. The importance of such a comprehensive understanding of education becomes even clearer as the increase in freely accessible digital resources in recent years has shaped our modern culture to an unimagined extent in terms of information overload and the need to critically engage with it. Many religious and belief communities must resort to informal education because they are often not represented in formal school education programs. However, religious education – if it is part of the state curriculum – is often not taken seriously and comes second in the priority of subjects.<\/p>\n\n
The Committee\u2019s faith-based member organizations therefore focus their research on informal educational programs offered by religious and faith-based communities and organizations that engage in dialogue as equals and in the spirit of mutual learning. What they all have in common is that they not only promote dialogue, but deliberately offer tools and strategies against hate, racism and discrimination. It is interesting to see how they respond to the new phenomena of digital media. In our opinion, there is a great need for exchange and mutual learning in Europe. While there are fairly comprehensive studies on formal education, there is a lack of in-depth understanding of the informal sector, where there is often a lack of quality assessment.<\/p>\n\n
Therefore, the committee focuses on finding examples of good practices, especially at the grassroots level, to support the development of a more inclusive educational programs and projects. The committee holds seminars and organizes webinars to support interested parties on this path but its heartfelt goal, however, is to finally see the Council of Europe establish a permanent platform for interreligious and interconfessional dialogue.<\/p>\n\n
Gabriela Frey, European Buddhist Union (EBU), Conference of INGOs \u2013 Council of Europe, Committee for the Interreligious & Interconvictional Dialogue: www.coe.int\/en\/web\/ingo\/interreligious-and-interconvictional-dialogue<\/p>\n\n
Gabriela Frey is EBU Network Coordinator. A Buddhist for over 40 years, she practices in the Tibetan Sakya tradition. Passionate about true gender equality in Buddhist communities, she founded Sakyadhita France, the French branch of the International Association of Buddhist Women, and established the network of Buddhist women in Europe.<\/p>\n\n
This article first appeared in EBU Magazine #11 \u2013 Buddhism and Education<\/a> (Autumn 2023). 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