On December 15, the Third World Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace began its three-day meeting at UNESCO in Paris. Christian leaders also took part in the conference. Previously, the religious leaders had named 2008 as the "year of reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians." The calls for peace in the Middle East were widespread in 2008, although the results have been minimal. President Bush will leave office without having substantially achieved his goals for Israel and Palestine. Overall, the theme of the Congress was "the sacredness of peace" and much of the conference was devoted to the need for commitment from religious leaders to peacebuilding. Now, the Congress hopes to set up a monitoring group to support its initiatives and projects for Judeo-Muslim dialogue. It should hold its first working session in February 2009.
