Bahrain participates in ME violence victims conference

Brussels, May 15 (BNA): Bahrain has articipated in the third International Conference on the Victims of Ethnic and Religious Violence in the Middle East. Bahrain's Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg and representative to the European Union and NATO, Dr. Bahia Jawad Al Jishi, represented Bahrain at the conference during which she highlighted that the Kingdom has historically been known for tolerance and peaceful coexistence among all cultures and religions. Throughout its history, Bahrain has never witnessed any clash between the members of its society and the Constitution stipulates that all citizens are equal in rights and duties, she said. However, external interference has encouraged extraneous practices on Bahrain's peaceful society known for its tolerance and openness to others. The Kingdom, under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, has made great strides in promoting the values of tolerance and peaceful coexistence among all segments of Bahraini society, she added. In this regard, Al Jishi cited the establishment of the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Co-existence in Bahrain, noting that it aims to promote dialogue, peace, openness and coexistence among different cultures. She noted that the establishment of the Centre is part of a series of pioneering initiatives undertaken by His Majesty the King, and referred to the Kingdom's Declaration in September 2017, which represents an appeal to all to promote religious freedom through mutual respect and understanding between religions. She also noted that the establishment of the King Hamad Global Centre would contribute to strengthening the bridges of communication between all peoples and support the efforts of the international community to maintain security and peace in the Middle East by renouncing the discourse of hatred and extremism in all its forms. Representatives of the countries and international organisations participating in the conference praised the Kingdom's participation and announcement of the establishment of the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Co-existence in particular, as an advanced step in supporting international efforts to combat violence and terrorism. The conference, which was hosted by the Belgian Foreign Ministry with the participation of representatives of 85 countries and international organizations, aims to discuss ways to preserve ethnic and religious diversity in the Middle East, achieve justice for victims and discuss mechanisms for the return of displaced families, in addition to providing a platform for targeted minorities in Iraq and Syria.