10th Doha Conference on Interfaith Dialogue Kicks Off

Doha, April 23 (QNA) - The 10th Doha Conference on Interfaith Dialogue under the title "Best Practices in Interfaith Dialogue" with the presence of 500 participants from the followers of the three religions, Islam, Christianity and Judaism, from and outside Qatar and represent 75 countries around the world. The conference is witnessing an active presence of researchers in the field of the science of comparative religion and representatives of bodies, organizations, institutions and universities interested in the field of interfaith dialogue to provide successful experiences and present their important achievements in this field. The three-day conference, which was inaugurated by HE Minister of Justice Hassan bin Abdullah Al-Ghanem, will focus on four pillars, academic, justice, peace and conflict resolution, and the pillar of culture and media. In his opening speech, HE the Minister of Justice welcomed the participants on behalf of HH the Emir, government and people of Qatar, praising their efforts in standing up with a humanitarian responsibility and a message of faith in the context of the hard and sincere work in the field of religious dialogue to build better relations within the framework of humanitarian brotherhood. HE pointed out that the world today has become a small village and the communication and integration between religious followers are necessity and imposed by the nature of life. There is no place in the world for closed communities and scholars and wise men in the world agree on calls for dialogue and reject the culture of cancellation and exclusion, HE the Minister said. The State of Qatar began its mission in the call for dialogue among religious followers in response to the commandments that are confirmed by the Islamic Sharia and mentioned in the Holy Quran which called for the realization of the truth that combines the prophets, noting to Surat Al-Anbya (The Prophets). HE Hassan bin Abdullah Al-Ghanem pointed out to the contents of the Holy Quran which confirm that the prophets have one message, guidance, destination and goal which is spreading justice and brotherhood in the earth .. He explained that the Holy Quran called the followers of the prophets to cooperate with each other in a constructive affirmative action under the shade of Tawhid and faith, citing Quranic verses that confirmed these meanings and stressed that the message of the prophets is one. HE the Minister of Justice said that the State of Qatar and since the beginning of its renaissance in the beginning of the current century chose to draw its policy realistically and respect in this world and confirmed its commitment to constructive cooperation with all the powers that love goodness and faith. He also said that when Qatar launched its renaissance and received experiences from all over the world did not discriminate between people of different cultures nor between people of different religions. In this context, HE the Justice Minister said that in confirmation of this principle, HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani had issued the Emiri Decree No. (44) for the year 2008, adopting the "Qatar National Vision 2030" which supports dialogue among civilizations and promotes coexistence between different religions and cultures. Qatar has become today an oasis of human brotherhood where people belonging to more than one hundred different nationalities are living in, HE the minister said. The State of Qatar is hosting this annual conference since ten years, he said, adding that religious scholars, researchers and experts from around the world meet in Doha to share their experiences and strengthen their knowledge. He noted that this year, the Doha Conference on Interfaith Dialogue offers the world the best experiences of those interested in cooperation between the followers of religions. The Doha International Award on Interfaith Dialogue will be granted for the first time in this year's conference to a person or institution which will present the best practice on the field of interfaith dialogue, HE said. He also said that the establishment of the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue in May 2007 comes from the leading role of the State of Qatar in the respect of religions and the peaceful coexistence between them. HE Minister of Justice Hassan bin Abdullah Al-Ghanem said that the center held a number of conferences, meetings and workshops at all levels to achieve a genuine and continuous dialogue between followers of different religions and conducted many researches and studies to consolidate the values ??of mutual and effective dialogue between different religions. 10th Doha Conference on Interfaith Dialogue Kicks off /1/ In his opening speech,HE Minister of Justice Hassan bin Abdullah Al-Ghanem, said Qatar is now standing alongside the oppressed Syrian people who are suffering the severest and oppressive regime which is bombing their houses, mosques and churches with rockets by tanks and aircraft . The Syrian regime is insistently spreading seeds of sectarianism and hatred to strengthen the alignment of religious minorities behind his (Bashar Al Assad's) regime , the matter which clearly demonstrates a strong insult to religions and co-existance which Syria and the states of the region have known over the past thoousands of years, HE the minister told the participants. Elaborating the Justice Minister further said that the religious and sectarian alignment which we are now witnessing in some positions at the arab and world levels, makes it imperative on the wise people to seriously act to revive the culture of dialogue , mutual respect and protecting the historical bases for common existance based on respect of religious values and messages of the honourable and reverend prophets on the lands of the arabs. HE Al-Ghanem referred meantime to news of crimes being committed in Myanmar against Rohingya Muslim minority as well as the injustices committed by the Israeli entity against the population of the Gaza strip including starvation , siege and waging war every now and then against the oppressed people of Gaza. After welcoming anew of the participants and wishing the conference every success, HE Al Ghanem said," We will exert our utmost efforts to fully translate your recommendations to a real programme of action reflecting Qatar's due keenness to flourish further the interfaith dialogue and alliance of civilisations and human fraternity. HE the justice minister further said that the justice ministry has prepared the arab guide draft law to prevent blasphemy of religions with emphasis on islam and insulting and scorning prophets with a special emphasis on Prophet Mohammad ( Peace and Bless be Upon Him ) and repulsing the e-crimes committed in this respect in addition to producing effective legislative mechanisms to chase and put to trial the perpetrators of such crimes at the national and international levels. The Qatari Justice Minister made clear in this regard that the Arab Justice Ministers' Council has issued in its 28th meeting a resolution to take measures to study the aforesaid draft law pending to endorsing and approving it to a model progamme to be adopted by the arab countries in this respect . During the opening session, and on behalf of HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassem Bin Jabor Al Thani , HE the Minister of Justice honoured the candidates and the first winner of the Doha World Award of Interfaith Dialogue and which the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue (DICID) has decided to present for the first time to the best institution or personality having effective contributions or distinguished projects in interfaith . It is worth to mention that Dr. Mohamed As-Sammak (Lebanon) has won such a prize. The prize estimated at $ 100,000 , is considered a key and significant event of the Doha Conference on Interfaith Dialogue for many reasons inter-alia that the DICID is one of the leading institutions worldwide that is seeking to revive a serious and effective dialogue among followers of religions and numerous cultures in the modern communities on the basis of religious and humanitarian principles based on quiet , constructive and fruitful dialogue.(QNA)