IPI MENA, MRAWP co-host "Peace Readers Forum"

Manama, July 27 (BNA): The International Peace Institute Middle East and North Africa hosted a presentation on "Peace Readers Forum" by HE Sultan Buti bin Mejren Al Marri, the Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for World Peace (MRAWP). The "Reading Forums" is a MRAWP UAE Cabinet’s initiative following Abu Dhabi’s declaration of 2016 as the UAE Reading Year. Mohammed bin Rashi Al Maktoum Award for World Peace, in line with the vision of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, launched the initiatives focusing on the importance of reading in support of Arabic language, "Pulpits of Peace Readers" and "Peace Libraries" in order to promote Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for World Peace. The first initiative "Pulpits of Peace Readers" relies on mobile electronic platforms. The visitors will be able to read book summery and to select books. Based on the selection the platform will allow them to sit on respective seats where the selected books will be ready to read. Also they will be able to get prints of important noted based on their selection. Three places will be assigned for physically challenged people. These platforms will be moved from one mall to another in all Emirates of UAE and the Gulf Countries. The second initiative is "Peace Libraries". They are small libraries placed in the residential complexes, based on the idea of ‘taking a book and leave another book' for the exchange of culture through reading, as Dubai teeming with various nationalities that exceed 200 nationalities and cultural diversity. Both initiatives launched in line with the declaration of Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, 2016 as the year of reading. Al Marri said joining IPI MENA is a follow up on the initiative by the Ruler of Dubai Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in 2016 to promote peace through the activity of reading. MRAWP and IPI, MENA are joining efforts to promote the culture of peace through the "The Reading Forum" that are held in public places where people are given electronic access to their favorite readings. In addition to advocating Reading for Peace, IPI, MENA is building on the UAE initiative aiming at an integrated national literacy strategy and a framework to produce a "reading generation." The presentation was given after members of the audience consisting of government officials, diplomats, academia, faith leaders, corporate community and members of the IPI, MENA Advisory Council observed a moment of silence at the initiative of IPI MENA Director Nejib Friji in memory of victims of terrorism and in particular the horrific assassination of Father Jacques Hamel by terrorists in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray in France. Hamel and his church had donated in the year 2000 a piece of land to the Muslim community to build a mosque, Friji said. Al Marri called on Arabs and Muslims to put further effort to strengthen peace around the world and emphasized the importance of reaching the younger generation by adhering to their right to education. MRAWP Peace Library containing over 50 million books aims at providing access to the public by the means of electronic devices. Reverend Hani Aziz of the National Evangelical Church decried on behalf of IPI MENA Interfaith Dialogue the "alarming misuse of social media by extremist groups thereby drawing more youth into their infernal fold". He stressed the necessity for a reading that teaches mutual respect and tolerates diversity. The younger generation had their voices heard when Adam Jade Kadia, IPI MENA possibly the youngest writer devoted to peace, addressed the audience from France via Skype. Adam called on all children, their parents and tutors all over the world, to read good books that will help them understand other civilizations, other cultures and have access to knowledge in order to build a world based on peace, mutual understanding, dialogue and friendship. The young writer called on Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for World Peace and others to recognise many children like him around the world, who have the writing skills and talents in order to encourage them to write in adequate conditions and with the noble objective of serving world peace. Adam expressed hope that "Forums For Peace," arriving in Manama would allow people to read, write and work together to make this world a better place. He called on children of the world to read good books that promote mutual understanding and tolerance to fight ignorance around the world. He also urged the adults to encourage talented young writers by providing them with an environment that fosters their skill. Adam was awarded a tablet computer by MRAWP as a token of appreciation for this contribution towards peace and for his easy writing in the future. His mother Meriem Kadia accepted the award on his behalf. Friji called for a greater level of co-operation between the Arab countries on peace based educational programmes. The participants also stressed the need to improve educational curriculae and the quality of education to create a peace-minded generation. They reiterated their commitment to the promotion of the culture of peace. Al Merri, noting that the advocacy for reading for peace does not end with this conference, he announced that at the joint MRAWP and IPI, MENA and the cooperation of Majid Al Futtaim Group, a Peace Readers Forum Festival will be launched in Bahrain’s City Centre from July 28 to August 1 to promote reading for peace to the public, in the first of its kind event outside the UAE.