Doha Conference of Interfaith Dialogue IX discusses the role of mass communication in the promotion of social dialogue

Doha, August 28 (QNA) - Director of the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue Dr. Ibrahim Saleh Al-Noaimi said the Doha said the 9th Doha Conference on Interfaith Dialogue, due to be held from 24 to 26 October under the title (Means of Social Communication and the Interfaith Dialogue..A Futuristic Outlook), willl acquire great importance as it will discuss vital issues concerning the role of the social communication means including Facebook, Twitter, U-Tube and the Internet in general in the promotion of dialogue between religions.
In an exclusive interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA) Dr.Al-Noaimi praised the big and significant role played by social communication means in the movement of peoples and many political issues, especially in Arab spring revolutions now under way in more than one Arab country, particularly the role of these means in the success of revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt .. He said that from this standpoint, the conference title this year came under the slogan (Means of Social Communication and the Interfaith Dialogue..A Futuristic Outlook.
He explained that the issues of dialogue include many aspects such as interfaith dialogue, dialogue of civilizations and dialogue of cultures, pointing out that individuals and institutions have begun to use social networking tools to establish and promote discussion about these dialogues and submit various issues on them, particularly as the interfaith dialogue has become a necessity.
Dr. Ibrahim Saleh Al-Naimi, Chairman of the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue told QNA that about 170 participants were about to attend the said conference including a group of youths and persons who participated in the Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions which ousted each of president bin ali and hosni mubarak together with other participants from europe especially Norway , the United States and other states
''The Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue ..A Futuristic Outlook'' , conference , has come in time to cope with the spring revolutions spreading across the arab world , Dr. Al-Naimi said adding therefore we have sought to bring together religious scholars and those with experience to discuss the social communication channels in the arab world.
He went on to say that the central question is supposed to answer to those who trusted in the "communications revolution" to solve the problems of communication between civilizations, cultures, and peoples: Is an open channel of communication between two parties alone enough to establish a constructive dialogue and to demolish the differences and disputes? why are there civil wars, and neighbor killing neighbor, if they have the most important and informed channel of communication, that is face-to-face communication?
These new technologies do not establish a philosophy of its own but is engaged in contextual logic. All educational curricula in various parts of the world include Information Technology subjects and focus on the education of pupils using the computer and internet connection and "navigating" in the vast World Wide Web. But how many educational approaches, around the world, teach means and methods to communicate with each other or to build a new concept of knowledge commensurate with the power of acquiring new tools? The figure is close to zero, he added.
This is the philosophy advocated by the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue, which is needed for the rehabilitation of societies to deal with these techniques, not in its purely technical side but also from the point of view of "acceptance of others" and "engage in dialogue with them", in addition to the importance of the values of freedom, justice and equality.
We therefore call upon the principle that dialogue should be a priority in dealing with civilizations, cultures and peoples .(QNA)