U.N. Session on Religious Tolerance Opens Today

A two-day session of the United Nations General Assembly to discuss religious tolerance and inter-religious cooperation begins today, with over a dozen world leaders in attendance. Most of them are in the United States also to attend a G-20 Financial Summit in Washington beginning Friday. The U.N. session, titled "Culture of Peace" was initiated by Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah who will open the session. He will be followed by Israel's president Shimon Peres, as well as Lebanese and Palestinian leaders. U.S. President George Bush will speak on Thursday. Abdullah and Peres were invited to dinner last night by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. Reports on the U.N. meeting appeared yesterday in the International Herald Tribune, Jerusalem Post, and Abu Dhabi's The National. The meeting is seen as emphasizing the importance that world leaders place on resolving religious disputes without resort violence. Human rights activists however criticize King Abdullah for lack of religious freedom in Saudi Arabia.