The 3rd Meeting of the ViQO Circle was held between 4-14 April 2019 in the Institute for Peace and Religions of Qom, Islamic Republic of Iran. The following report is taken from the Institute for Peace and Religions website.

The main theme of the conference was “Religion, Politics and the State. An Attempt to Clarify a Challenging Relationship” and professors from the Catholic University of Cologne as well as Vienna University took part.

The program had two main parts of cultural and scholarly: ViQo Circle 3rd Round of Dialogue in Iran.

The sub-topics of the participates were:

• Tuesday Afternoon, 16:00, 2019/4/9

1. Reflections about the coexistence between secular and religious cultures, by Prof. Dr. Heinz Theisen, Catholic University of North Rhine-Westphalia Catholic University of Applied Science, Cologne, Germany

1. The Relation between Politics & Religion in Iran, (a Historical and Theoretical Study (by Dr. Sh. Shojaeipour, The head of policy making Dep. at IIPR and Professor of History, Law &Political Studies
2. Ethnic Segregation within Cities, Structure, development and role of social work,  by Dr. Schoenig Andreas Werner

Catholic University of North Rhine-Westphalia Catholic University of Applied Science, Cologne, Germany

4. The relation between Europe and the Islamic Republic of Iran: the desirable pattern, By Sheikh M.A.Savadi, Professor in Al-Mustafa International University, Member of Policy Making Department, IIPR

• Wednesday Afternoon, 16:00, 2019/4/10

5. The Modern Democratic Constitutional State, as a Protective Order of Freedom, beyond Profanity andFundamentalism, by Prof. Dr Armin Gunther Wildfeuer ,Catholic University of North Rhine-Westphalia Catholic University of Applied Science, Cologne, Germany

6. Christian Muslim Relationship and Future of Faith in Secular Societies, by Hujjatul Islam Sheikh Dr. Shomali, Director of International Institute for Islamic Studies, Imam and Director of Islamic Center in London, England

7. Religious Government and Governance of Jurist (“Wilayat al-Faqih ”) Shia Political Thought, Sheikh Dr. Taher Amini Golestai, Director of Institute for Peace and Religions of Qom, Professor in Al-Mustafa International University