The "Freedom of Religion and Belief" conference reviews examples of the Bahraini and European experiences in freedom of religion and belief

03-05-2023

Manama, May 03 (BNA): The discussion sessions of the "Freedom of Religion and Belief" conference, which is being held in cooperation between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the European Union, kicked off in Manama today, Wednesday, with the participation of elite policy and decision makers from both sides and representatives of civil society. during the session; His Excellency Mr. Osama bin Ahmed Khalaf Al-Asfoor, Minister of Social Development, affirmed that the Kingdom of Bahrain is continuing on the path of development and progress, with the support of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the great King of the country, may God preserve and preserve him, and the continuous follow-up of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, may God protect him. Minister Al-Asfoor indicated that the Kingdom of Bahrain takes the principles of peace, coexistence and dialogue between cultures and religions as a foundation, which was confirmed by the Kingdom of Bahrain's declaration. on her part; Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees of the King Hamad Global Center for Peaceful Coexistence, Ms. Betsy Mathewson, affirmed that the (Kingdom of Bahrain Declaration) is still gaining more international attention, pointing out that the essence of this important document aims to promote peace in the world and achieve peaceful coexistence among peoples. She said, "The founding document of our work is the Declaration of the Kingdom of Bahrain, sponsored by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the country's great king, may God protect and preserve him, since 2017. The declaration was not created for academics, politicians, or government organizations; but it is directed to touch every man, woman, and child on this planet, and to give hope and comfort to those who live without this precious human right, or who live with severe restrictions on their right to worship freely and safely." She added, "His Holiness Pope Francis, during his historic visit to Bahrain last November, quoted the declaration more than once, including the famous opening words of His Majesty the King, may God protect him, saying (If ignorance is the enemy of peace, then education is the friend of peace). The Grand Imam, His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, quoted the words of the Kingdom of Bahrain's declaration and called on all peoples to unite in dialogue and friendship." Today's sessions discussed consolidating the foundations of an organized dialogue to deepen the common understanding of freedom of religions and beliefs, and the promotion of human cooperation on the principles of pluralism and diversity to enhance respect for freedom of religions and beliefs at the regional and global levels, within the framework of political dialogue, cooperation and enhanced communication between the European Union and the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council. The discussion sessions also focused on freedom of religion and belief, presenting models and lessons learned from the Bahraini and European experiences, towards the development and implementation of this basic human right, and discussing challenges in a world in which the hatred fueled by extremists prevails in societies, and their exploitation of digital media to enhance polarization, in a world in which there are monotheistic religions and more than 4,000 other religions and philosophies. The conference discussed strengthening Bahraini-European relations on issues of freedom of religion and belief at the regional and international levels, and promoting respect for this human right. This conference is the second edition of the Conference on Freedom of Religion and Belief "Broadening the Horizon" that was held in Manama last May, and a joint statement was issued aimed at strengthening the building of bridges of cooperation between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the European Union in the field of promoting freedom of religion or belief, in a way that supports the efforts of the Kingdom of Bahrain in delivering its civilized message to the world as a pioneering model in the field of respect for freedoms and rights. Tolerance and support for regional and international efforts to consolidate the values of moderation and rejection of hatred, violence and extremism. The conference, organized by the King Hamad Global Center for Peaceful Coexistence and the “This is Bahrain” association, and lasting for three days, seeks to come up with a common vision for a better understanding of the history of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the European Union and their views on freedom of religion and belief.