Vatican conference on relation between religions, nature, art

(October 14, 2011) A 3-day international conference began on Thursday at the Vatican Museums in Rome to examine the relationship between religion, nature and art. Organised by the Vatican Museums and by the International Society for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture the conference is focussing on the concern for nature felt in the Catholic world, also highlighting the presence of ecological awareness, as expressed in art, in other religions and cultures. The initiative which concludes on Saturday is entitled "Religion, Nature and Art" and is being held under the patronage of Archbishop Giuseppe Bertello, president of the Governorate of Vatican City State. The programme of events also includes a visit to the exhibition titled, "Rituals of Life: the Culture and Spirituality of Aboriginal Australians", which was inaugurated last year at the Missionary Ethnological Museum of the Vatican Museums.