King Hamad Peaceful Coexistence Award launched in Los Angeles

He noted that the "Bahrain Declaration, which was launched in Los Angeles in 2017, is a document that aims to consolidate the approach of moderation and rejection of intolerance.

He highlighted the strong, historical relations between Bahrain and US, affirming that the close relations of cooperation and friendship between the two countries are witnessing significant advancements at all levels.

Dr. Shaikh Abdullah stated that Bahrain is known as a country of civilizations, openness to other cultures, and a safe place for everyone to practice their religious beliefs and rituals freely, based on the values of protecting freedoms, respecting diversity, and building bridges of coexistence and harmony.

He explained that the King Hamad Prize for Peaceful Coexistence, which was first announced during the opening of the Bahrain Dialogue Forum "East and West for Human Coexistence" in November of last year, provides an opportunity for the global recognition of efforts that support coexistence and peace.

He affirmed that this prestigious prize is added to the series of noble initiatives launched by His Majesty the King in this context, including the establishment of the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence, the launch of the Bahrain Declaration, and the inauguration of the King Hamad Chair for Dialogue between Religions and Peaceful Coexistence at the University of "Sapienza" in Italy.

Dr. Shaikh Abdulla highlighted the positive role played by the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence as a global partner in defending human rights and promoting the spirit of brotherhood among people of all religions and beliefs.

For his part, Mr Pompeo highlighted the efforts made by the Kingdom to promote values of tolerance and coexistence. He noted that the King Hamad Award for Peaceful Coexistence represents yet another important initiative in this direction. Pompeo also highlighted the continuous collaboration between the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence and the Simon Wiesenthal Center to bring together followers of different religions and faiths.

The former US Secretary of State described his participation in the award’s launch as "wonderful" and expressed his readiness to cooperate with the initiatives of the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence in this regard.

For his part, Ambassador Marco Suazo, Head of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) New York Office, stated that the King Hamad Award for Peaceful Coexistence is closely aligned with the goals and objectives of the United Nations, particularly in relation to promoting the message of peace and peaceful coexistence among peoples.

He affirmed that the Kingdom of Bahrain always comes at the forefront of countries in initiatives that promote peace and peaceful coexistence.

Meanwhile, the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence held a press conference before the ceremony, with the participation of HE Dr. Shaikh Abdullah and a number of political and religious figures, as well as representatives of American and international institutions, in the presence of various media outlets, to announce the award and its objectives, in addition to highlighting the most prominent initiatives of the Kingdom of Bahrain, in the fields of peace, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence.