Rabbi Schneier speaking at a session yesterday: PICTURE: Shemeer Rasheed
By Ramesh Mathew/Staff Reporter

The United Nations Alliance of Civilisations (UNAOC) forum has evolved itself into a “competent man” from being a “kid” when it was formed nearly seven years ago, said Rabbi Arthur Schneier, president of the New York-based Appeal of Conscience Foundation, yesterday.
Speaking to the Gulf Times at a session of the UNAOC forum which concluded yesterday, Schneier, who was one of the 20-odd founding members of the forum in 2005, said its increasing acceptance at the global level in the last seven years has made UNAOC into a formidable force that could initiate useful dialogue among warring
parties.
“What is being done by UNOAC members at different levels is some sort of ping-pong diplomacy and it is certainly producing results which are by and large acknowledged by different quarters,” Schneier said, adding: “May be the deliberations carried on by our members may not attract headlines always at global levels, but they are effective and successful in bringing solutions to many contentious issues, in particular those linked to faiths.”
He said: “Being members of the UNAOC, we firmly believe in the forum’s abilities as a facilitator for useful dialogues at many crucial junctures. Even when there are failures at the diplomatic levels, the forum members have been successful in tackling critical issues.”
A survivor of the infamous holocaust of Jews in Austria in the late 30s, Schneier said that having experienced so much of brutalities on his own and also having seen the massacre of his dear and near ones, he made a decision in his youth to work for mutual respect, mutual understanding, tolerance and of course
universal peace.
Widely acknowledging the initiatives being made by Qatar in general and HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser in particular for keeping the UNAOC a lively initiative, Schneier said the forum has been exploring all along what it could do to improve the mutual respect and understanding among people of different faiths, organisations, institutions and countries.
“Our members are committed to end inhumanity of man towards man, and thus encouraging such virtues as mutual respect and tolerance among different groups of people,” said the Jewish scholar while recalling the events that led to the formation of his New York–based foundation
in 1965.
While highlighting the importance of dialogues in building bridges between different religious groups, the Vienna-born Rabbi felt “heart to heart” talks between even two persons holding divergent views could bring drastic changes in even highly complex
situations.
He also recalled the honours that his foundation conferred upon personalities who rose to highest levels from their humble origins. He recalled the foundation recognising former Indian president K R Narayanan in the late 1990s. “His meticulous rise to India’s presidency showed even those referred to as “untouchables” could occupy the highest office in a country like India, which is certainly the largest democracy in the world,” said Schneier.
In recognition of his contributions to uphold democracy, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was also honoured by Schneier’s Foundation in 2010.
The Rabbi’s services for promoting mutual understanding among people of different faiths were recognised by Guru Nanak Foundation chair at the Long Island’s Hoftsra University a few years ago, which conferred upon its honour on him a few years ago.
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