King Hamad Global Centre Chairman calls for religious tolerance, mutual respect

TDT | Manama       

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

All practices of physical and psychological abuse, as well as hatred, that target people based on their religious affiliation explicitly incite extremism and violence. This was emphasised by the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence chairman, HE Dr. Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, as he condemned such heinous acts.

He also denounced the abhorrent abuse of holy books. In a statement marking the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, Dr. Shaikh Abdulla stressed that the heinous acts constitute a flagrant violation of international principles and conventions.

He affirmed that His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s call to approve an international agreement to criminalise religious, sectarian, and racist hate speech in all its forms represents a wise and realistic vision to establish peace, tolerance, and acceptance of others, in addition to rejecting fanaticism and religious hostility, which will contribute to drastically eliminating one of the most important causes of conflicts and wars in the world.

He said that the International Day to Combat Islamophobia provides an opportunity to begin rectifying many mistakes and negative preconceptions against Islam as a faith and civilization, stressing that terrorism should not be associated with any religion, nationality, or ethnic group.

Catalyst

He highlighted the importance of presenting the true image of Islam and explained that it calls for peace, rapprochement, and affection among all human beings without discrimination, emphasising that religious and cultural differences never justify conflict and clash but should rather be a catalyst for promoting secure coexistence, affinity, and partnership.

Dr. Shaikh Abdulla urged the international community to combat extremist ideologies, cognitive ignorance, and calls for racism and discrimination, stressing the need to take decisive collective actions to remove the causes of systematic religious hatred and spread a culture of mutual respect.

He noted that under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the support of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Bahrain embodies the tolerant principles of Islamic moderation, indicating that the kingdom embraces religious and cultural diversity in a society where justice and unity prevail, which proves that diversity enriches human coexistence and serves as a bridge for dialogue and understanding.

Commitment

Dr. Shaikh Abdulla indicated that the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence is committed to spreading the principles of civilization, peace, and harmony, as well as consolidating human fraternity, per the “Kingdom of Bahrain Declaration." He stressed the need to launch a sustainable global dialogue that is consistent with the goals of the United Nations and to invest in shared cultural and humanitarian fundamentals, leading to a more secure, coexistent, and prosperous world.