Bahrain oasis of tolerance

Manama, Sept. 14 (BNA): The delegation of former Heads of states and Nobel peace laureates agreed that the world should recognise the fact that the Kingdom of Bahrain is a place of tolerance and respect for religions and beliefs, and that it has made great strides of achievements preceding even advanced countries in many fields. They said that these successes should be appreciated by the world and earn Bahrain the position it deserves. The delegation included former South Africa president Frederick de Klerk, former Polish president Lech Walesa, former East Timor president Jose Ramos-Horta, Indian social activist Kailash Satyarthi and Under-Secretary General and former UN Human Settlements Programme executive director Anna Tibajuka. "Bahrain has succeeded in achieving stability and development, and safeguarding the religious and ethnic diversity of the Bahraini society," they said in remarks to Bahrain TV. They praised Bahrain's keenness to respect religious freedoms, including the role of worship for different religions and the freedom of belief and practising their religion. Former President of East Timor Jose Ramos-Horta, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, said the world must know the truth of Bahrain as a place of tolerance and respect for religions and beliefs of its residents of all races and nationalities. He pointed out that religious freedom and the provision of places of worship for citizens and communities of all Ethnicity and religion is very important, and there is much that the world does not know about Bahrain in this regard, which should be promoted on a large scale so that the world recognizes the achievements of Bahrain and puts it in the place it deserves. He stressed that His Royal Highness the Prime Minister was very wise in addressing the challenges and events that Bahrain has faced at its most critical moments and succeeded in achieving stability and consolidating peace in the most turbulent and complex conditions in the region.He pointed out that Bahrain, in his view, is similar in terms of its history with his own country, stressing that Bahrain has maintained its independence and succeeded in implementing peace and stability. He stressed that the Bahraini government succeeded under the leadership of His Royal Highness the Prime Minister in achieving stability and development and preserving the religious and ethnic diversity that characterizes the Bahraini society. He praised Bahrain's keenness to respect religious freedoms, including the role of worship for different religions and everyone enjoys freedom of belief and practicing their religious rites. He said that the approach of direct communication with all categories of the Bahraini people, which His Royal Highness the Prime Minister has adopted in order to be familiar with their needs and ambitions is in full accordance with the same approach and philosophy he himself had followed when he was in power. Mr. Frederick William de Klerk, former President of the Republic of South Africa, said that his meetings with His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, were very fruitful, saying that he was very interested in listening to views of His Royal Highness the Prime Minister and to exchange views with him. “I would like to congratulate Bahrain on the manner in which it is promoting and nurturing religious tolerance,” said former South Africa president Frederick de Klerk. “I was told, and experienced, that here within one square kilometre in Manama it is possible to find a Sunni and a Shia Mosque, Hindu temples, Christian churches and a synagogue, he added. “I’ve also experienced, and got to understand, the policy of His Royal Highness the Prime Minister to ensure that communities with distinct religious and language identities are able to coexist peacefully under the full protection of the state.” On his vision of the importance of elections as a political tool, especially as he was credited with ending apartheid in South Africa, he stressed that elections are a very important issue. “ I think it’s very important that people of a country should have a platform from which to say what they want, he said. ”Elections lie at the heart of true democracy, together with the rule of law, together with having a good legal system, he added. He went on to say that the main task of government is to look after the safety of people, the security of their people and to create a platform from which they can work and have a good life, and that parliaments and elected officials all contribute towards that. Mr. Lech Walesa, former President of Poland, hailed the warm welcome he and the delegation received from His Royal Highness the Prime Minister and the good character of the people of Bahrain. "I was keen to listen to the vision of His Royal Highness the Prime Minister and I think Bahrain can propose distinct foundations for the integration and unity of peoples, "pointing out that Bahrain has achieved great achievements and preceded Europe in many areas. For his part, Kylash Satyarthi, the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize President of the Kylash Satyarthi Foundation for Children, described His Highness the Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa as a great leader and visionary who has great respect for human values.He said that he was very pleased to meet HRH the prime minister and that he found him to be a great man, a visionary , a true leader who has a lot of respect to humanity. He expressed his pleasure to visit the Kingdom of Bahrain, stressing that it has given him the opportunity to learn more closely about the development experience and the development of its democratic process and its freedoms and openness. "Should I have the opportunity to stay longer I would love to stay more, I have met many residents here from different parts of the world. They all feel safe and secure in Bahrain. They are respected, welcomed and appreciated by the people of Bahrain and this is very important." he said. Mr. Kylash Satyarthi praised the democratic experience in the Kingdom of Bahrain and its legislative system, stressing that it represents a unique model in the region. Global Security Institute President Jonathan Granoff also hailed the peaceful coexistence which reigns in Bahrain between all segments of people, describing Bahrain as a model of coexistence and tolerance. He described Bahrain as a model for respecting and honoring human values, and believing that all of humanity is one family. "We have had the honor to meet with His Highness the Prime Minister and some senior officials, and I am impressed by the extent to which they are appalled and humbled," he said. "The leaders we have met here have confirmed their passion for serving their people and their openness to the other, as well as their enthusiasm, so it was very comfortable and inspiring to meet the leaders of the country to all the people who came to visit Bahrain." For her part, Mrs. Anna Tibajuka, Under-Secretary-General and former Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-HABITAT), praised the great progress made by the Kingdom of Bahrain in terms of development, community development and urban development, stressing that Bahrain's richness is not only reflected in skyscrapers and the like. Through the development of the reality of society. It commended the efforts of His Majesty the King, His Royal Highness the Prime Minister and the entire Bahraini people, which resulted in many successes in the field of urban development, in the wake of which the royal monarch was awarded the honorary award for outstanding achievement in urban development and housing. She also expressed her appreciation for receiving the Royal Prime Minister's Award for Sustainable Development, describing Bahrain as the best model for urban development. "I personally see that Bahrain is constantly developing and developing, and you can see that the process of sustainable development and development in Bahrain is ongoing and real, not just words. Sustainable development requires rulers with sustainable development ideas and visions to elevate communities, which we find in Bahrain."