Religious leaders play important role in countering messages of terrorist group leaders

ASTANA. KAZINFORM Religious leaders play an important role in countering messages of terrorist group leaders in the current world where terrorism threatens global security.

United Nations Alliance of Civilisations (UNAOC) director Matthew Hodes said religious leaders who played an important role in educating people, especially youth, on interfaith understanding, moderation, tolerance and respect should counter the messages of terrorist group leaders who distorted the core of religious beliefs for self-serving purposes.

"We need religious leaders to assert rejection of violent doctrines, emphasise the peaceful and tolerant values inherent in their theologies," he said at the XV Session of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions here Wednesday.

Source: BERNAMA