Religious liberties in Bahrain highlighted

Manama, Mar. 22 (BNA): The Assistant Foreign Minister, Abdullah bin Faisal bin Jabur al-Doseri, received I a delegation from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, headed by Vice-Chairperson Kristina Arriaga, on the occasion of the delegation's visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain.  During the meeting, the Assistant Foreign Minister welcomed the members of the delegation of the Commission, pointing out the keenness of the Kingdom of Bahrain on implementing the supreme directives and initiatives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa regarding religious freedom, dialogue and peaceful coexistence which all pour into the achievement of world peace and rejection of extremist calls of hatred. He referred to the royal decree that established the King Hamad's Global Centre for Peaceful Co-existence and named the president and members of its board of trustees, noting the center’s great resonance at local and international levels.  The Assistant Foreign Minister affirmed that the Kingdom of Bahrain would continue its approach on safeguarding freedoms and the right to religious rites, as it is evident in law and reality in a tolerant society that accommodates various religions and sects, noting that moderation, pluralism and magnanimity have made of the Kingdom a destination of choice for expatriates to settle. He explained that the Kingdom of Bahrain is distinguished by the presence of churches, mosques and places of worship of other faiths such as the Hindus and others, testifying to Kingdom's atmosphere of freedom and respect for the exercise of religious rites, tolerance and rejection of extremist ideas that are alien to the country and to its hospitable people’s heritage, customs and traditions.  "This is manifested in the reform approach of His Majesty the King, who stresses the importance of creating a favorable climate for peace and religious freedom for all and emphasizes the significance of mutual respect and values of love, humanity and coexistence. "Such values are the pillars of a world enjoying peaceful coexistence, especially promotion of interfaith dialogue and understanding and combating hatred and intolerance," he explained. The Assistant Foreign Minister stressed that the forces of evil that stand against the noble values are doomed to failure because it is the strength of faith, love and pluralism that fights extremism and the acts of violence committed in the name of religion and arbitrarily linked to it. He noted the importance of responsibly respecting and protecting religious minorities, fighting religious discrimination against any sect, and accepting religious pluralism as a source of strength and building, not a source of weakness and contempt. In her turn, the Vice Chairwoman of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom hailed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ cooperation, notably its replies to USCIRF inquiries, affirming the need for both sides to carry on cooperating and holding meetings. During the meeting, a number of other topics of common concern were discussed.