King Hamad Global Centre to launch initiatives for Bahraini youth

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence has prepared and launched many initiatives targeting Bahraini youth, it has been revealed.

Secretary-General of the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence, Sumaya Al-Meer, indicated that Bahrain’s towns and villages are full of youth who live in an environment in which families share a religion, race and sect, highlighting the Centre’s keenness to communicate with the heads of a youth centre, and officials of sports and cultural clubs to inform them about its duties, and keenness to empower youth and enhance their social responsibilities.

In an interview with the Bahrain News Agency (BNA), Al-Meer stressed that the tolerance and moderation approach would not be sustainable without focusing on youngsters and launching more specialised programmes and initiatives, noting that Bahrain represents an exceptional phenomenon at the international level, being a unique model for coexistence and moderation.

She added that people from all over the world have expressed their admiration for Bahrain’s distinguished and unique experience in promoting the values of tolerance, peaceful coexistence and respect for religious freedoms, and expressed their desire to emulate it in their countries, given its significant contributions to enhancing the kingdom’s progress and prosperity across various fields, as well as a positive impact on the daily life of the citizens and residents.

She said that mosques, community centres, churches, temples and monasteries co-exist in Bahrain, and everyone is free to perform their rituals freely, and without any restrictions, which makes Bahrain’s experience in religious freedom unique.

Al-Meer affirmed that thanks to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s visions and directives based on loving people and embracing everyone in peace and harmony, the kingdom has become a land for fostering the concepts of rapprochement among civilisations and acceptance of the other.

She indicated that the Bahraini citizens have always been known for their moderation, as well as love and respect for others and moderation since ancient times, which contributed to creating this beautiful mixture between all ethnicities and the followers of different sects and beliefs to form Bahrain’s exceptional culture with its peace-loving customs, traditions and respect for people on purely humanitarian grounds, that have nothing to do with religion, politics, origin or sect.

Regarding the role of the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence, Al-Meer indicated that its goals and mission are based on the directives of HM King Hamad, the great supporter of cultural diversity and inter-faith dialogue in the region and the world.

She asserted that the Centre, chaired by Dr. Shaikh Khalid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, has succeeded, in a short period of time, in projecting Bahrain’s pioneering experience in the fields of tolerance and peaceful co-existence to many countries and continents, and signed agreements with official establishments to promote such noble values from Bahrain.

She pointed out that during the coming period, the Centre will focus on highlighting Bahrain’s regionally and globally unique model in consolidating religious freedoms, pluralism and cultural diversity.

She affirmed that HM the King believes that Bahraini youth are the asset of the future, and the best means to continue the progress march based on the consolidation of the values of constructive dialogue and rejection of all forms of extremism, adding that the Centre is launching initiatives that serve the youth category in order to prepare them to be decision-makers in the future, in line with HM the King’s vision in this regard.

Al-Meer extended sincere congratulations to HM King Hamad and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, marking the kingdom’s celebrations of its National Day, in commemoration of the establishment of the Bahraini state as an Arab and Muslim country founded by Ahmed Al Fateh in 1783, the anniversary of its full membership in the United Nations, and the anniversary of His Majesty the King’s Accession to the Throne.