MANAMA: The Kingdom of Bahrain has emerged a model for citizenship, religious tolerance and guaranteeing freedom to everyone through constitution.
The head of the Inter-Civilizations’ Dialogue High Organizing Committee, Bahrain’s Ambassador to Kuwait, Shaikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Khalifa, described Bahrain as an example of ensured rights of citizenship, freedom of thought and religion, etc.
He said that Bahrain was a cosmopolitan country which supports inter-faiths, civilizations and cultures dialogue and forbearance within diversity of thinking, culture, religions and ideologies.
The Organizing Committee includes Muslim, Christian, Jewish etc. members, including representatives of the Information Affairs Authority (IAA), Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments, Ministry of Culture, UN Information Centre in the Gulf region, the House of World Cultures in Berlin.
He lauded the vision of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and his lasting desire on dialogue and communication which made Bahrain an unprecedented example of a country which embraces the Inter-Civilizations’ Dialogue initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
Manama hosts the International Inter-Civilization Dialogue themed “Civilisation in the service of Humanity” with participation of 150 thinkers, media and culture professionals and representatives of various religions and doctrines as part of this initiative aimed to promote the values of humanity, dialogue, common understanding between all countries, peoples and civilisation on the basis of mutual amity, respect and shunning hatred.
The Kingdom of Bahrain will host the Inter-Civilization’ Dialogue in the period 5-7 May 2014 as continuation of the Islamic-Christian Dialogue Conference 2002 and the Islamic Rapprochement Conference 2003, the Inter-Civilization’ Dialogue Forum 2008 in line with the UNGA resolution which designated the year 2001 as the year of dialogue between the civilizations’, and adopting the universal program me of inter-civilizations’ dialogue.
Bahrain hosted international inter-faiths, inter-civilizations’ dialogue conferences.
His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa participated at the UNGA-invited Inter-faiths, Cultures Dialogue on 12 November 2008. His Majesty visited the Vatican in November 1999 and met the late Pope John Paul II and also met Pope Benedict XVI during His Majesty’s visit to Italy 2008.
Bahrain has always supported inter-faiths, cultures and civilizations’ dialogue, launched the Shaikh Isa Award for Service to Humanity 2011-2012, the King Hamad-UNESCOW Award for IT and Telecommunications Usages since 2005, hosted the Regional Arab Centre for International Heritage in 2013 and several initiatives including the creation of the Arab Human Rights Court with major international organizations for example Al-Azhar Al-Sharif and the Vatican.
Wife of His Majesty the King, Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al-Khalifa, participated at the opening of the Freedom Palm Oasis in Notre-dame Cathedral in Paris, France in 2012.