MELAKA, Aug 8 — Malaysia’s experience in managing religious, cultural and ethnic diversity can offer valuable lessons to the international community in advancing interfaith understanding, peace and social harmony, Minister of National Unity Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang said.

He said Malaysia’s approach was anchored in the recognition that diversity should not be viewed as a source of division, but as a strength that could be harnessed through mutual respect, openness and cooperation.

Speaking at the International Interfaith Peace Conference (IIPC) 2026 here today, Aaron said interfaith dialogue had an important role in strengthening mutual understanding and building a more cohesive society.

The conference, themed ‘Melaka and Malaysia as a Meeting Point of Faith, Culture, Diversity and Harmony Towards Cohesive Nation Building’, provided an important platform for religious leaders, policymakers and civil society representatives from different parts of the world to exchange ideas and strengthen cooperation in the pursuit of peace and social harmony.

The conference was opened by Melaka Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Dr Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam. Also present were founding board member of the Doha International Centre for Interfaith Dialogue (DICID) Prof Dr Hamed Abdulaziz Al-Marwani, special representative of the Foreign Minister on Peace Building and Countering Islamophobia and founding director of Bait Al Amanah Datuk Dr Abdul Razak Ahmad and director of Muslim World League, Malaysia Dr Muhammad Gharawi. 

Aaron added that interfaith dialogue should not be misunderstood as an attempt to blur theological differences or create religious uniformity, but rather as a means of promoting accurate understanding among communities of different faiths.

“Interfaith dialogue is not about changing anyone’s faith. It is not about compromising religious principles. Instead, interfaith dialogue is about creating mutual understanding while respecting our differences,” he said.

He said the objective of interfaith dialogue was not to seek theological agreement or produce final binding decisions, but to provide a platform for disseminating accurate information, sharing knowledge and exchanging best practices.

“By disseminating accurate information, interfaith dialogue helps to dispel misconceptions, reduce prejudice and strengthen mutual respect among people of different faiths,” he said.

Aaron said such engagements were also important in empowering young people to become bridge-builders across communities, encouraging collaboration between religious leaders and the government, and reinforcing their shared responsibility in advancing nation-building.

He said the importance of interfaith dialogue had become even more apparent following his participation in several recent engagements, including the Harmony Symposium, World Religious Leaders Conference and Roundtable Discussion on Multi-Faith Partnerships in Praxis for Human Flourishing and Dignity.

Despite differences in themes and participants, he said the engagements shared a common objective of bringing people together through dialogue and deepening mutual understanding through the sharing of interfaith information.

“This is precisely why interfaith dialogue remains as relevant today as ever,” he said. — Bernama