IFJS FORBID TO PARTICIPATE TO AN INTERRELIGIOUS CONFERENCE IN TUNISIA

IFJS_2018_0711_declaration_tunisia_EN

INTERNATIONAL FORUM OF JEWISH SCOUTS – OFFICIAL STATEMENT

The International Forum of Jewish Scouts (IFJS) gathers all Jewish scout groups, committees and associations which are members of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM). Its missions are :

  • To propose exchanges, trainings and youth programmes on Jewish Identity and Leadership ;
  • To help the opening of scout groups in Jewish communities ;
  • To develop and strengthen dialogue and friendship among religions within the World Scout Interreligious Forum.

 IFJS members were to attend the World Conference on « Ambassadors of the Interreligious Dialogue », from November 4th to 8th. The Conference is organised by Tunisian Scouts in partnership with the International Union of Muslim Scouts (IUMS).

Striving against the normalisation of the relations with the State of Israel, nationalist Arab parties and NGOs obtained from a judicial authority the interdiction of our participation to this Conference.

The judicial authority actually forbid to two French nationals – IFJS members – to attend this event. In a display of solidarity, other French scouts who had planned to attend this meeting, which was meant to promote interreligious dialogue, also left Tunisia or decided not to come.

Sharing in order to better fight against ignorance and all forms of intolerance, exclusion and zealotry was this Conference’s reason for being.

Trusting dialogue and bringing peoples and religions together are a collective gift from Scouting, a precious and fragile asset that we must defend and develop together. 

As written in the Pirkey Avot, the Ethics of the Fathers (4:1): “Who is the wise one? He who learns from all men, as it says, ‘I have acquired understanding from all my teachers’ (Psalms 119:99)“

Alain Silberstein, President, International Forum of Jewish Scouts
Ruth Ouazana, Secretary General, International Forum of Jewish Scouts