At that time, when the hostile relationships due to the Cold War between the East and West seemed far from being resolved, the Pope emphasized the importance of people of faith gathering together to work for peace and justice. Now on the eve of the third Christian millennium, John Paul II again stressed the need for greater justice and peace and noted that despite some technological advances that allow for greater communication, there are still too many divisions and wars. Individually and together, we must show how religious belief inspires peace, encourages solidarity, promotes justice and upholds liberty. Religion is not, and must not become, a pretext for conflict, particularly when religious, cultural and ethnic identity coincide. Rabbi Ehrenkranz said that he left with a good feeling for the future.
Peace is good, but everyone needs a just peace.
And it can happen. Just as God has made the heavens, the sun, moon and stars, to live in harmony, so too can God grant us peace. Introduction On the eve of the third millennium, we, representatives of various religious traditions from different corners of the globe, have come together with gladness and joy at the opportunity to jointly face the future with hope. From this experience, we share the conviction that peoples of world religions can make a positive impact on our troubled world. We recognize the responsibility that religions have to shape the future, a task that involves letting go of past mistakes and seeking new ways of going forward.