The ECOWAS Parliament's Joint Committee on Education, Science, Technology, Youth, Sports and Culture on Tuesday commenced a five-day sitting in Accra to deliberate on development, peace and stability in the region.
The Accra meeting will reflect on the theme: "Religious Tolerance and Harmony," and make recommendations for a regional forum to be convened on the issue, which has become a catalyst for maintaining lasting social balance, or a vehicle for violent conflicts, social exclusion and public disorder.
Malian Parliamentarian Yaya Sangare, who co-chairs the joint committees, told participants at the opening of the sitting at the Coconut Grove Hotel that religion had become an issue that when ignored exacerbated tensions and revived multiculturalism.
He said the issue called to mind that peace and tolerance were never a definitive acquisition, and that it was the permanent and collective duty of the legislators to ensure that the foundations of human relations were strengthened through the promotion of tolerance, dialogue, respect and mutual understanding.
"No matter how good our democracies may be, it is imperative for we the key players to ensure that the minorities are guaranteed their rights and privileges," he said.
He called on the participants to work assiduously to improve inter-faith dialogue as a factor of peace in the region.