voa标准英语2008-Muslim, Jewish Groups Promote Peace During Paris

Imams and rabbis from around the world have wrapped up a three-day meeting in Paris aimed at finding ways to promote peace in the Middle East and work more closely together.
　

French Jewish and Muslim leaders attend a demonstration1 in Paris, 14 Dec 2008

This was the third world meeting of the group, known as Imams and Rabbis for Peace. It ended with a decision by some 70 members attending it to create of permanent committee of members of both the Jewish and Muslim faiths, as well as Christian² leaders.

The Paris meeting was held at the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO.

Chris Sacarabany works for the Swiss foundation Hommes de Parole, which organized the meeting.

"The aim is not to have a declaration," Sacarabany said. "It is to help religious leaders develop concrete actions. They want to be involved in peace at the religious level, and they want to act through peace through educational programs, through exchanges and so on."

Protest calls for peace between Jews, Muslims

Earlier this week, Jews and Muslims marched through Paris to show outrage³ at the desecration⁴ of Muslim and Jewish graves.

The French Jewish-Muslim Friendship group organized the march, which included local elected officials, imams and rabbis. The protest called for peace and underlined the links between Jews and Muslims.

The graves, on the eve of the Muslim holiday Eid al-Adha, were vandalized by a suspected group of neo-Nazis who sprayed racist⁵ slurs⁶ on military gravestones in a northern France cemetery⁷. Muslim tombs were targeted twice in the same cemetery in the past two years.

The new interfaith committee is expected to be set up next March. It aims to develop a network of religious institutions interested in dialogue and to collect proposals from imams and rabbis on projects they can work on together, notably⁸ in matters of education and in developing a booklet on how to respect different beliefs.

1 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

2 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

3 outrage   

n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒

参考例句：

• When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
• We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。

4 desecration   

n. 亵渎神圣, 污辱

参考例句：

• Desecration, and so forth, and lectured you on dignity and sanctity. 比如亵渎神圣等。想用尊严和神圣不可侵犯之类的话来打动你们。
• Desecration: will no longer break stealth. 亵渎：不再消除潜行。

5 racist   

n.种族主义者，种族主义分子

参考例句：

• a series of racist attacks 一连串的种族袭击行为
• His speech presented racist ideas under the guise of nationalism. 他的讲话以民族主义为幌子宣扬种族主义思想。

6 slurs   

含糊的发音( slur的名词复数 )； 玷污； 连奏线； 连唱线

参考例句：

• One should keep one's reputation free from all slurs. 人应该保持名誉不受责备。
• Racial slurs, racial jokes, all having to do with being Asian. 种族主义辱骂，种族笑话，都是跟亚裔有关的。

7 cemetery   

n.坟墓，墓地，坟场

参考例句：

• He was buried in the cemetery.他被葬在公墓。
• His remains were interred in the cemetery.他的遗体葬在墓地。

8 notably   

adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地

参考例句：

• Many students were absent,notably the monitor.许多学生缺席，特别是连班长也没来。
• A notably short,silver-haired man,he plays basketball with his staff several times a week.他个子明显较为矮小，一头银发，每周都会和他的员工一起打几次篮球。