TAIPEI (UCAN) -- Migration can promote "a dialogue between different cultures" and contribute to world peace, said a Vatican official during a regional conference on migrant workers.

"Inter-cultural and interreligious exchanges serve the cause of peace because they enable communication between peoples at very basic levels," Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino said, in his keynote speech at the March 16-19 conference "The Catholic Church in Asia cares for migrants in Taiwan."

About 100 Church workers from Taiwan and other Asian countries, local government representatives, NGOs and members of various religions gathered to discuss issues relating to migrant workers from the perspectives of receiving and sending countries. The Episcopal Commission for Migrants and Itinerant People in Taiwan organized the conference.

Cardinal Martino is president of the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples and of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.

Citing the 2004 Church instruction Erga migrantes caritas Christi (The love of Christ toward migrants), the cardinal said it is "useful and correct" to distinguish between short-term assistance versus a welcome in the full sense of the word, which aims to integrate migrants into local communities.

He said that the today's migration patterns require an "ecumenical vision" and "interreligious dialogue" in pastoral care, as there is an increasing number of migrants of other religions in traditionally Catholic countries and vice-versa.

He also pointed out the need to act on root causes of migration, including "exaggerated nationalism ... even to (the extent of) hatred and systematic or violent exclusion of ethnic or religious minorities from society."

Commission chairman Bishop Bosco Lin Chi-nan of Tainan, southern Taiwan, opened the conference by hoping that the meeting, the first of its kind in Asia, could develop a plan of action "for the people that we love and care about," as well as "more cooperation and better coordination" among Churches in Asia.

In his welcoming speech, Monsignor Ambrose Madtha, charge d'affaires at the Taipei-based apostolic nunciature in China, cited Scripture to show that people have been on the move for ages, and that the Church understands "its mission to take care of these people." He encouraged participants to look into the spiritual and material needs of migrants, regardless of their religions.

Lorna Kung Yu-chien, of the Scalabrini International Migration Network in Taiwan, briefed participants on migration trends in Asia, particularly from Indonesia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

She pointed out that the Philippines and Indonesia are the two main migrant-exporting countries in Asia, followed by newcomer Mongolia. Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan are the top receiving destinations in Asia, while Thailand and Malaysia both receive and send out migrants.

Kung also identified several distinctive features in Asian migration, such as the predominance of temporary and female migrant workers, the involvement of both public and private sectors in the migrant-labor industry, and the heavy reliance of sending countries on remittances from their migrant workers.

The conference also heard presentations by local Church workers on their experience with migrant issues, an introduction to the labor system in Taiwan, and Church-run NGOs' experiences of serving migrants from different ethnic groups.

Two Taiwan government officials explained the territory's policies on migrant workers and foreign brides.

Buddhist and Muslim leaders also talked about their work with migrants. According to Bishop Lin, who was also recently named to the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, these leaders were invited to promote interreligious cooperation.

"It is not easy to achieve such cooperation if we talk to each religion separately," he explained. "The meeting allowed them to learn about the actual situation and see what other religions are doing. As a result, they will be more willing to join in," he told UCA News March 17.

The next day, participants visited migrant communities in various dioceses.

Other Asian Church leaders involved with migrant workers in their respective countries also attended the meeting: Archbishop Louis Chamniern Santisukniran of Tharae-Nongseng, from Thailand, Coadjutor Bishop Stephanus Tri Buu Thien of Can Tho, from Vietnam, Bishop Petrus Canisius Mandagi of Amboina, from Indonesia, and Bishops Precioso Cantillas of Maasim and Martin Jumoad of Isabela, from the Philippines.

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(Accompanying photos available at here)