As the world becomes more connected and complex, differences among communities will become more apparent and frequent, Communications and Information Minister Yaacob Ibrahim said yesterday.

Such differences, even if irreconcilable, need to be dealt with in a calm, rational and dignified manner, he added.

“How we manage those differences will determine whether we will be able to enlarge the common ground, accommodate a greater plurality of views and ideas, and yet not tear us apart,” Dr Yaacob said when he opened a conference on Islam in the contemporary world.

But staying true to one’s faith amid living with the realities of a society is an issue that confronts other religious groups too, he noted at the one-day gathering of experts in politics, sociology and Islamic jurisprudence organised by the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.