His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayyah, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Peace Forum, praised the example of the United Arab Emirates in spreading the culture of peace and coexistence among people.
This came during a speech he delivered before the Religious Freedom Summit, which was held in the US capital, Washington, from January 31 to February 1, 2023, in the presence of hundreds from around the world, with the participation of the US Secretary of State, ambassadors for religious freedoms, members of Congress, and religious leaders of various religions.
His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayyah said: “Our state, the United Arab Emirates, represents a model to follow, where dozens of different religions, cultures and races, and hundreds of nationalities coexist in safety, security, affection and respect. .
In the context of the “Religious Freedoms for the Benefit of All” session, His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayyah stressed that the existential challenges facing humanity increase the need to protect religious freedoms for followers of different religions in many regions of the world, addressing the issue by answering questions: Why do we believe Is protecting religious freedom in everyone’s interest? What are the challenges that impede the provision of religious freedoms? And how do we push for religious freedoms in the world? He pointed out that by answering these questions and discussing them, this conference can contribute to crystallizing a common vision to move forward in the way of strengthening religious freedoms around the world.
He explained that religious freedoms should be and be achieved on the surface of peace and within its framework, as this is the most secure and sustainable for them for their survival, and pointed out that freedom is not conditional except to the extent that guarantees its availability and sustainability in terms of observing public order, tranquility and social peace in every country, indicating that the abuse of The sanctities of the other, insulting him, and attacking him are in the opposite direction to religious freedoms, and that freedom should be a positive act on the grounds of peace and good manners, so that the values of love, mercy, humility, generosity, and cooperation prevail in souls.
His Excellency Sheikh Bin Bayyah stressed that the promotion of religious freedoms requires continuous efforts and broad cooperation between religious leaders of different religions through increasing acquaintance between religious communities and enhancing cooperation and joint initiatives between them, as well as through dialogue and communication with policy makers to raise awareness of the importance and goodness of religious freedoms for all societies. .
His Excellency added that it is also required for the followers of each religion to return to their sacred texts in order to extract what urges coexistence and tolerance, and he praised the devotion of this session to discuss the contents of the historic Marrakesh Declaration (2016) to enhance religious freedom in the areas of the Muslim majority, which was issued in cooperation between the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs in Morocco. The Abu Dhabi Peace Forum was adopted by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation representing Muslim-majority countries, and this is a model that should be followed by other religious leaders to launch initiatives aimed at protecting minorities in areas where they constitute a majority.
His Excellency Bin Bayyah concluded his speech by wishing that these joint efforts would meet the need for understanding, dialogue and the search for common ground, and that they serve as a general invitation to all people of good will to unite in order to preserve the flame of hope for a better future for the great human family.