Interfaith dialogue as a pedagogical paradigm: the ‘Faces of God’ project

Abstract

This contribution highlights the importance of integrating interreligious dialogue into the educational sphere, emphasizing how it can serve as a tool for social transformation, the promotion of peace, and the defense of human rights. The article focuses on how interculturality and interreligiosity, when integrated into synergistic educational paths, can foster understanding and acceptance of diversity, overcoming the "Us vs. Others" polarization, and also attempts to enhance plurality within the global context. It emphasizes the role of education in shaping an inclusive and multicultural society, centering the discussion on the importance of a pedagogy that embraces and values differences, starting from the concept of secularism as evidence that it can coexist with religious belief and can be understood as a promotion of inclusion and cultural pluralism. The project "I volti di Dio" will be presented as an example of the practical application of education and interreligious dialogue in promoting peaceful coexistence among different cultures and as a starting point for reflection on the importance of interreligious dialogue and peace education.