The challenge for multi-faith countries such as Malaysia and the United States does not lie merely in handling religious diversity, but in promoting engagement and understanding among followers of different religions.

"Pluralism is not diversity alone but the energetic engagement with that diversity," explained Prof Diana Eck (photo) of Harvard University, in a keynote address at an international conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

The two-day International Conference on Religious Pluralism in Democratic Societies: Challenges and Prospects for the United States and Southeast Asia in the New Millennium was organised by the Malaysian Association for American Studies.

US ambassador to Malaysia, Marie T Huhtala, and association chairperson Prof K S Nathan attended the opening session this morning.