Vice President Mohd Hamid Ansari today called upon people of different faiths and religious traditions to have a mutual understanding and respect that allow them to live and cooperate with each other in spite of their differences. Inaugurating an Interfaith Conference at Malappuram in Kerala, Mr Ansari noted that interreligious and interfaith dialogue had to be more than mere words or talk. He said it must include human interaction and relationships. Quoting Swami Vivekananda on his birth anniversary, the Vice President said that tolerance alone is not strong enough a foundation for building an inclusive and pluralistic society. The Vice President noted that India has been home to all the great religions of the world. He said Kerala has had a long tradition of religious pluralism and is a state that has the oldest traditions of Islam and Christianity in India and is known for the relative harmony that exists between the various religious groups.<br/><br/>To promote real understanding, interreligious and interfaith dialogue has to be more than mere words and talk, said the Vice President. Dr. Ansari commended that the government of India stands by the declaration of the interfaith conference on Faith in Human Rights, organized at Hague in 2008, which defined, what constitute freedom of faith and how it is to be safe guarded. He also added that any effort to promote understanding and acceptance among various communities is commendable. Dr Ansari also praised Kerala for its long tradition of pluralism.