On the occasion of the publication of the 2012 calendar by Alpes-Maritimes Fraternité (an informal group established on February 12, 2007), representatives of civil institutions (Mayor of Nice and President of the General Council) and monotheistic religious institutions (Catholic, Reformed, Armenian, and Russian and Greek Orthodox Churches; representatives of Islam and the Jewish Consistory) gathered at the Villa Masséna to exchange wishes for the new year.
It was a beautiful ceremony where the spirit of fraternity united all those present, divided in their professions of faith but joined in mutual recognition and respect, all convinced that dialogue is a hopeful path for living better together.
Additionally, Christians, Muslims, and Jews all belong to the same Abrahamic lineage.
And if, due to historical reasons, their paths have diverged and opposed each other, their common responsibility is to work together for peace in the world.
And while it may not be possible to erase the past, there is nonetheless no obstacle in shaping the future towards a better perspective for generations to come.
As the Scriptures say, “we all come from somewhere and are all going somewhere. We meet other men who are our brothers.”
In these words lies the ecumenism that should be the foundation of human relationships. It is along this path that Alpes-Maritimes Fraternité opens, a borderless community in the service of peace, which could embrace the expression “ut unum sint” (that they may be one).
