Rome, Jan. 27 (BNA): The Kingdom of Bahrain’s declaration to Europe was inaugurated during a ceremony held in Rome, Republic of Italy.
The King Hamad Global Center for Peaceful Coexistence revealed the pledge in the presence of ambassadors, diplomats and officials, in addition to a hundred students registered in the King Hamad Chair for Interfaith Dialogue and Peaceful Coexistence.
In a speech delivered at the ceremony, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to Italy, Dr. Nasser Muhammad Al-Balushi, said that the launch of the declaration in Europe from Italy, amid critical international circumstances, represents a decisive moment to promote all forms of peaceful coexistence, as stated in the document.
The Italian Republic hosts the King Hamad Chair for Interfaith Dialogue and Peaceful Coexistence, which was launched at Sapienza University in 2018.
“This chair is the first of its kind in the world, and it aims to educate young people from all over the world to confront terrorism, extremism and radicalism, arming them with knowledge and inspiring them to spread peaceful coexistence and love throughout the world,” said Dr. Al Baloudi.
Andrea Ponzo, Special Envoy for Interfaith Dialogue at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Arab Republic of Egypt, said: “We are pleased that the Kingdom of Bahrain has chosen the Italian Republic to start launching the document declaring the Kingdom of Bahrain in Europe.” Italy:
This choice reflects the great role played by the Italian Republic within the framework of religious pluralism and interfaith dialogue. He added that preserving freedom of belief and interfaith dialogue are among the goals that support the cohesion of societies.
He stated that interfaith dialogue can enhance cooperation between the spectrum of society and protect against falling into the cauldron of extremism and racism, which negatively affects freedom of belief and the guarantee of human rights.
Betsy Matheson, Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees of the King Hamad Global Center for Peaceful Coexistence, stated that the Bahrain Declaration has been praised by world leaders.
He said that His Holiness Pope Francis the Vatican praised the declaration and quoted from it during his historic visit to the Kingdom in November 2022, which reinforces the importance of the document as a global roadmap for peace and coexistence.
She indicated that the declaration represents the founding document for all the work of the King Hamad Global Center for Peaceful Coexistence.
“Since its establishment by royal decree, the center has focused on educational programs for young people,” she said.
She expressed her pride in working with prestigious partners such as La Sapienza University in Rome, the King Hamad Program (Faith in Leadership) in the United Kingdom, in partnership with the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, the Office of the Special Envoy of the United States of America to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, the Brazilian Ministry For women’s affairs, family and human rights.
For his part, Armin Lechet, founder and president of the Ibrahimi Institute of Conferences in Berlin, said he was pleased to participate in the opening, noting that Bahrain’s openness and the consolidation of dialogue and peaceful coexistence enhanced the sense of humanity in society.
“The declaration of the Kingdom of Bahrain has added a new concept in the framework of mutual respect and acceptance,” he said.
During the opening ceremony, 100 students affiliated with the King Hamad Chair for Freedom of Religion and Peaceful Coexistence were honored for their participation in the “Ignorance is the Enemy of Peace” forum.
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