It is with shock and dismay that we have received the news of the terror attacks against churches and hotels in Sri Lanka.
Club de Madrid and its Members firmly reject and condemn all forms of extremism, much as we have persistently advocated for peaceful and inclusive societies. We are firmly committed to inclusion and to the intrinsically democratic values of freedom of religion, freedom of association, peace and security. As part of the values expressed in our Madrid Agenda, our commitment to tackling terrorism from a democratic perspective remains unflinching.
Several of our Members have suffered the deplorable experience of terrorist attacks in their own countries, often being themselves victims of vicious, extremist violence. They have relentlessly contributed new ideas in the fight against terror and fear, working towards peaceful and inclusive, shared societies, values that are at the very essence of the democracy we pursue. We must, together, find the will and the way to end such acts of violence.
At this time of grief and sorrow, our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families and the injured.
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Related links
Christian, Buddhist and Muslim families in the multicultural neighbourhood of Katuwapitiya (Sri Lanka) help each other in preparations to mourn the deceased after the bombings. Watch the BBC video here.