Archbishop Mate Uzinić to present Peaceful Rain initiative

Archbishop Mate Uzinić presented the Peaceful Rain initiative on October 27 at the Archdiocese of Rijeka in Croatia. The international and interreligious program encourages individuals of different faiths and convictions to engage in concrete actions for peace.

Archbishop Uzinić stated that peace is built through many small, specific acts in personal life, religious communities, workplaces, and educational institutions. He noted that while individuals cannot resolve global conflicts alone, they remain responsible for the personal contribution they can offer to peace.

The event included participation from several religious leaders. Grigorije Durić, metropolitan of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Germany, joined via video link. Aziz Hasanović, president of the Islamic Community in Croatia, also participated. Other attendees included Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe, Dominican, and Melanie Ivančević, an evangelical deaconess.

Metropolitan Durić spoke about the importance of religious communities acting as agents of reconciliation to prevent the manipulation and demonization of others. Mufti Hasanović stated that remaining silent in current times is equivalent to identifying with evil, and he rejected the political use of religion.