King Hamad Global Centre holds multi-faith event themed 'Bahrain, Land of Peace'
Manama, Dec. 22 (BNA): The King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence today organised, in cooperation with the Sacred Heart Catholic Church Bahrain, a multi-religious event themed “Bahrain, Land of Peace.”
Representatives of various Christian churches, as well as those of the Jewish, Hindu and Sikh faiths, in addition to the Baháʼí Social Society, participated in the multi-faith prayer. They prayed to Allah the Almighty to always make the Kingdom of Bahrain a land of peace, and to guide His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on the right path, as well as bless him with abundant health and happiness to bring about more achievements in promoting the values of peaceful coexistence and dialogue among religions, cultures and civilisations.
In his speech, Ali Abdulla Al Aradi, the Deputy Chairman of the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence, affirmed that Bahrain is a historical role model for religious tolerance and cultural diversity, as well as a beacon of peaceful coexistence and human fraternity, in light of the care of HM King Hamad and the support of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
Al Aradi congratulated the participants on the occasion of the Kingdom of Bahrain’s celebration of its national days, the anniversary of His Majesty the King’s Accession to the Throne, and the accompanying national events. He also congratulated the Christian communities on Christmas.
Al Aradi expressed pride in the kingdom’s rich human and cultural history, as well as long-standing contributions to the human civilisation heritage, stressing that it has always adopted a distinguished approach of moderation, tolerance, centrism, peaceful coexistence and constructive dialogue among the followers of all religions, sects, cultures and civilisations.
He stressed that this approach adopted by Bahrain has motivated a large number of religions and sects to gather under one roof and pray for more progress and prosperity to the Kingdom.
He highlighted the keenness of the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence to promote a culture of peace among the members of the one Bahraini society, and to consolidate the values of cooperation, respect and solidarity, as well as spread hope.
These values are disseminated by the Centre in partnership with all places of worship, official agencies and the media, in addition to cultural, educational and pedagogical institutions, intellectual centres and civil society, in a way that embodies the lofty royal vision, stipulated in the Constitution, the principles of the National Action Charter, and the “Kingdom of Bahrain Declaration”, which is a global document aiming to establish religious love and tolerance, he said.
Father Charbel Rizk, pastor of the Sacred Heart Church and the Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia in Awali, as well as the Spiritual Director of the Arabic Community in the Kingdom, Bishop Aldo Berardi, the Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia, and Father Francis, of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church Bahrain, also addressed the multi-faith meeting.
They appreciated the spirit of tolerance, rapprochement and fraternal coexistence prevailing in Bahrain, “the land of love and peace”, noting that the kingdom continues to play its leading role in ensuring religious rights and freedoms for the followers of all religions, sects and beliefs, thanks to HM the King’s enlightened vision and the follow-up of the government, led by HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
They also praised the civilised Bahraini society, and the cohesion of all its components, wishing the kingdom continued security, peace, progress, prosperity and love among all.
Participants in the multi-faith prayer included Father Charbel Rizk, Spiritual Director of the Arabic Community in Bahrain, Bishop Aldo Berardi, the Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia, Parish Priest, Father Francis Joseph, Reverend Richard Fermer, of the St. Christopher's Cathedral, Reverend David Varghese Titus, from the Bahrain Mar Thoma Parish, Ebrahim Nonoo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the House of Ten Commandments and member of the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence, Tahera Jaberi, from the Baha'i Social Society, Rev. Anoop Sam, South Kerala Diocese, Shastri Vijaykumar Mukhiya, Bahrain's Hindu community leader, from Shri Krishna Temple Bahrain, Rev. Father Sunil Kurian Baby, from St. Mary's Syrian Orthodox Cathedral, A. Rakesh Sharma, from the Sikh community, and a representative of the Buddhist Community.
