King Hamad’s Global Centre for Interfaith Dialogue highlighted

Manama, Feb. 8 (BNA): The launch of the King Hamad’s Global Centre for Interfaith Dialogue and Peaceful Co-existence has boosted the prestigious status of Bahrainis as ambassadors of religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence across the world, Isa Cultural Centre Deputy Chairman Dr. Shaikh Khalid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa has said. The historic timeline of religious diversify and peaceful coexistence in Bahrain and the principles and contributions of Bahrain’s rulers and people paved the way for all civilizational accomplishments witnessed in the kingdom today, he said at a seminar hosted by "This is Bahrain Society" in collaboration with Isa Cultural Centre to introduce the King Hamad’s Global Centre for Interfaith Dialogue and Peaceful Coexistence. The seminar was attended by more than 300 diplomats, Shura members, academicians, media figures, and representatives of the various religions and expatriate communities residing in Bahrain. Shaikh Khalid hailed His Majesty the King’s reform approach and the National Action Charter which confirmed Bahrain's espousal of religious and personal freedoms as well as the freedom of expression and equality before the law regarding rights and duties, as the basic pillars of community stability. He added that His Majesty the King’s support of religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence through the various initiatives since 2001 and until our present time culminated in the Kingdom of Bahrain Declaration and the launch of the King Hamad’s Global Centre for Interfaith Dialogue and Peaceful Coexistence in Los Angeles in September 2017. He pointed out that thanks to HM the King's support, Bahrain has hosted and organized multifarious events and numerous conferences and promoted religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence in addition to its international engagement for this end. Shaikh Khalid hailed the initiative of the King Hamad’s Global Centre for Interfaith Dialogue and Peaceful Coexistence as a principal global hub for hosting major meetings, dialogues and conferences to achieve peace and amity amongst all the religious on the one hand, and the eradication of terrorism and extremism especially among youth on the other. He cited the contributions of Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Sikh and Hindu communities as indicative of the outstanding religious liberties in the Kingdom while the initiative gains worldwide admiration and acclamation. In her speech, Betsy Mathieson, Secretary General of the Bahrain Federation of Expatriate Associations (BFEA), highlighted His Majesty the King’s three unique projects as the first of their kind in the world and perfectly embodied HM's visionary leadership philosophy. "The King Hamad Chair in Inter-faith Dialogue and Peaceful Coexistence was launched at Sapienza University in Rome," she said. "Bahrain has always been a regional pioneering leader in education and this leadership now extends to a Global basis with the launch of The King Hamad Chair, the first of its kind in the world and sees Bahrain lead the world in this new exciting pioneering academic approach." Sapienza university and the newly appointed Professor of The King Hamad Chair are very excited at the possibilities they see for this new academic discipline that will be used as a platform to defeat terrorism, extremism and the radicalisation of young people, she added. "It is no secret that many university campuses have been targeted by extremists who realise their potential as fertile recruiting grounds for their evil and twisted ideology, but the King Hamad Chair in Inter-faith Dialogue and Peaceful Coexistence is the perfect foil to extinguish these hateful flames before they can take hold, by sowing the seeds of peace, love and religious tolerance." The second important initiative is the Kingdom of Bahrain Declaration. "Authored by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Kingdom of Bahrain Declaration is a document that calls for religious freedom and peaceful coexistence for all people of the world," she said. "His Majesty did not intend this to be a document for academics and religious scholars but to be something that spoke clearly and directly to the hearts of all men and women whether religious leaders, politicians, academics, prime ministers, presidents, students or regular citizens around the world. It uses simple but powerful language designed to define religious rights and responsibilities in a no nonsense fashion, calling for rights and freedoms, rejecting violence, discrimination, and hate and replacing it with mutual respect, love and peaceful coexistence." The Kingdom of Bahrain Declaration was officially launched in Los Angeles in September 2017 in the presence of His Majesty’s Personal Representative, His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, to great acclaim by the glittering gathering of religious leaders, journalists, scholars and celebrities, who rushed to sign the Declaration in support of His Majesty’s vision. The Kingdom of Bahrain Declaration will soon begin its journey around the world where it will be presented for world leaders to sign and it will also be available online in many languages so all people of faith can read it, sign it, and share it with others. "The King, but His Majesty’s third initiative, The King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence, is really the jewel in the crown of His Majesty’s global vision. The King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence will be a purpose-built facility on land gifted by His Majesty the King, and will also house a museum that will feature Bahrain’s rich history of religious freedom and peaceful coexistence, going back many hundreds of years." The main goals and objectives of the King Hamad Global Centre are to promote peaceful coexistence through inter-faith dialogue and to hold international conferences, seminars and dialogues, act as a mediation centre for ethnic issues, host visiting and residential academics for research programmes, offer internships and study exchange programmes to students of The King Hamad Chair at Sapienza University in Rome, welcome students from all around the world to visit The King Hamad Global Centre where they will be able to see examples of houses of worship and witness their rituals, learn of their history and philosophy and ask questions, share their thoughts and of course, sign The Kingdom of Bahrain Declaration." The King Hamad Global Centre will see Bahrain become the Switzerland of the Middle East for all such related issues and will really put Bahrain at the centre of the world stage as a pioneering leader for peaceful coexistence, she added. "Interest in the King Hamad Global Centre has been truly overwhelming, with inquiries from organisations around the world, who want to book The King Hamad Global Centre for their next international Conference or Dialogue and asking how their organisation can become involved with the King Hamad Global Centre, so this is very exciting news at these early stages and shows that His Majesty’s third and perhaps most important initiative has really stuck a chord with major decision makers and influencers around the world." The official inauguration of the King Hamad Global Centre will take place in Bahrain on March 14 at the Isa Cultural Centre which will also act as the temporary headquarters for the Centre.