The Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Sokoto, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, has been appointed a member of the Abdullahi Ibn Abdulaziz International Council for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue Advisory Board with official headquarters in Vienna, Austria.

A statement signed by the director of Social Communication, Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Fr. Onuh Ladi Sixtus, made available to LEADERSHIP yesterday, said by the appointment, Bishop Kukah will represent Africa and serve along with other Catholic Bishops representing Asia, Europe, Middle East and the United States of America as the official Vatican representatives in the council.

The council is made up of members from the various religious traditions of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, among others.

The statement added that the role of the advisory forum is to support the centre in achieving its vision and mission anchored on the principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in particular the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

‘’The forum believes that these equal and inalienable rights are the foundation for freedom, justice and peace in the world,’’ it said.

Responding to his appointment, Kukah expressed gratitude to the Holy See, stating that the appointment was coming at a period of great trials and opportunities for dialogue for Nigeria in particular and Africa in general.

He was further quoted as saying that he believes that this initiative is a wake-up call for both Christians and Muslims in Nigeria to take up the challenge of genuine, truthful dialogue for the development of our nation.

The Mandate of the council is to promote the use of dialogue globally to prevent and resolve conflict, to enhance understanding and cooperation with structures designed to foster dialogue among people of different faiths and cultures to bridge animosities, reduce fear and instill mutual respect.

The council is made up of three founding states; Saudi Arabia, Spain and Austria, with the Holy See serving as a founding observer. The appointment to the council is for a period of four years.

Recall that Bishop Kukah is a member of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Vatican City and chairman of both the Committees for Dialogue for the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria and the Regional Episcopal Conferences of West Africa, RECOWA