The conference is organised by Trends Research and Advisory in partnership with the Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence and the University Platform for the Study of Islam "PLURIEL" at Trends headquarters in Abu Dhabi.
The three-day conference highlights the impact of the Human Fraternity Document for Coexistence. It coincides with the International Day of Human Fraternity and the fifth anniversary of the document endorsement.
The conference witnesses the presence of religious, cultural and academic dignitaries from around the world.
In the keynote address, Sheikh Nahyan said, "We who live and work in the UAE are delighted to welcome all of you who have travelled from abroad to Abu Dhabi for the fourth edition of the Islam and Human Fraternity Conference. You have come together here as an international group of brothers and sisters to examine various aspects of working together as Muslims and Christians to promote peaceful coexistence and human fraternity.
"I thank Dr. Mohammed Al Aly and his colleagues at Trends Research and Advisory for organising such an interesting and important conference, and assembling such a prominent group of speakers and participants. And I thank all of you for this opportunity to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Abu Dhabi Document on Human Fraternity."
He also thanked His Holiness Pope Francis, Head of the Catholic Church, and His Eminence Dr Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, for signing this vital document during their visit to the UAE in 2019.
Sheikh Nahyan added, “We also express our great pride in the visionary leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. His support and sponsorship of this remarkable document is a testament to his strong conviction that human fraternity and peaceful coexistence must be an important component of a good, moral global society. We are proud that the Abu Dhabi Document on Human Fraternity has allowed the entire world to observe His Highness's positive advocacy for multi-culturalism and for promoting human dignity, peace, and prosperity for all.”
Sheikh Nahyan expressed that the subjects and discussions of this conference appear to align with the thoughts of His Holiness the Pope and His Eminence the Grand Imam, as outlined in the Document on Human Fraternity released five years ago.
He quoted the historic document, saying, “While recognising the positive steps taken by our modern civilisation in the fields of science, technology, medicine, industry, and welfare, especially in developed countries, we wish to emphasise that, associated with such historic advancements, great and valued as they are, there exists both a moral deterioration that influences international action and a weakening of spiritual values and responsibility.”
Sheikh Nahyan explained, “This statement defines the main challenge human societies face, and I believe it frames well the goals and objectives of your conference. The challenge is how to ensure that humanity can continue making those remarkable advances while preserving and strengthening our moral character and nurturing spiritual values and the sense of responsibility for all human beings.”
“No nation, no society will peacefully convert everyone to a single religious belief, nor would they attempt it. The best we can do—and it is very good—is to vie with one another in virtue and good works. In my view, this is the essence of human fraternity as we know it.”
Sheikh Nahyan also quoted the Qur'an, saying, “O people! We have created you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another.”
The UAE Minister continued, "Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance. We Muslims confidently and proudly declare that tolerant behaviour is a hallmark of our Islamic heritage. We strongly believe that human harmony and brotherhood unite us with Christians and people of other religious faiths. We share with them a respect for human life, a desire for peace and safety, and an imperative to appreciate each other as valued human beings.
"Islam commands its adherents to always act as good human beings. Good human beings work for peace, cooperation, prosperity, and the well-being of society. Good human beings respect one another and seek to understand each other's good motives. Good human beings act on the conviction that tolerance and human fraternity can have a positive impact on all aspects of society.
"Muslims, Christians, and all people of faith around the world support this statement and strongly believe that human fraternity will sustain us and provide us with the energy, dedication, and resolve to persevere and succeed in making the world a better place for all."
Sheikh Nahyan stated, "Thank you for your resolve to work to develop innovative strategies for how to unleash the power of tolerance and human fraternity to solve the great global challenges of our time. I admire your conviction that our shared beliefs, values, and ideas can bind us close together and can help us create a better world for all."
"My best wishes for a successful and productive conference."
In a statement delivered by Cardinal Ayuso on behalf of His Holiness Pope Francis, the Pope expressed his hope that the document of Human Fraternity would be taught in all schools worldwide and that the principles enshrined in it would be applied in various parts of the world.
His Holiness hoped that all obstacles that prevent this perception from being achieved would be removed. The Pope stressed that knowing others and building mutual trust between different people is part of the tools for achieving peace.
He said that dialogue and knowledge of the other through education shall help achieve human fraternity and that with human intelligence we can overcome the challenges posed to humanity by the advent of artificial intelligence.
Cardinal Ayusu stressed that wisdom requires openness and dialogue, not closure that only leads to hatred. He indicated that the lack of knowing the other was a problem of the past and still a problem of today. "This will continue if we do not learn how to get to know each other and know him better."
He explained that changing the negative image that we hold of others is a must to achieve unanimous peace for all. The Cardinal explained that peace without education based on respect and knowledge of the other is a fragile and unsustainable peace.
He stressed the need to build a mutual bridge for dialogue and accommodate different opinions. He said this is not a waste of time, but a gain for humanity.
Dr. Mohamed Abdel Salam, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders, delivered a speech in which he said that this historic document represented an appeal to all members of the human family to promote peace, mutual respect, and social harmony based on respect for all groups and the preservation of their rights.
He expressed his pride that the Abu Dhabi Document for Human Fraternity has become a source of inspiration for all those who love goodness, coexistence and peace worldwide. The document has been adopted by many countries, political leaders and leaders of religions, in addition to its inclusion in many education programs in the most prestigious international universities.
Dr. Abdel Salam called on religious leaders to reflect on the model of the Document on Human Fraternity and plant the seeds of trust and hope in God.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of Trends Research and Advisory, welcomed hundreds of specialists from various prestigious academic institutions from more than 40 universities and research institutions from 4 continents and 17 different countries.
They will participate in 12 research seminars and five lectures, making the conference the largest and most important academic event in the human fraternity. It is a subject that must receive the attention it deserves in today's world, which is in dire need of the values of fraternity and coexistence.
"This conference reflects our keenness at Trends Research and Advisory to work with various international academies and think tanks to promote the values of human fraternity and dialogue between different societies and cultures. This is a core goal that Trends has been working on since its establishment through research programs and scientific events," he added.
Dr. Al-Ali noted that Trends was at the forefront of think tanks that paid attention to the document and its values. The centre has a research program entitled "Tolerance and Coexistence", through which it publishes, in both Arabic and English, research papers and solid studies dealing with the values of tolerance, coexistence and cultural interaction.
Moreover, Trends has distinguished efforts in analysing and criticising the unfounded ideas of extremist and terrorist groups. Trends have organised many events in which a group of intellectuals and specialists raised awareness about these values.
Dr. Michel Younes, General Coordinator of the University Platform for the Study of Islam, praised the efforts of Trends Research and Advisory in partnership with the Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence in convening and supporting the conference, stressing the importance of the conference in light of the challenges facing the world today, the most important of which is extremism and exclusion.
Dr. Michel said that the selection of the subject of human fraternity as the title of the conference emanates directly from the event that characterised the document of human fraternity. He indicated that the document serves as a strong voice against extremism in the name of religion and a call for non-exclusion and rejection.
Dr. Michel explained that the university platform for studies on Islam, which includes in the tenth year of its launch 180 researchers in more than 25 countries, constitutes a link between academics from different cultures, civilisations and backgrounds.
He stressed that the conference aims to promote the concept of human fraternity through scientific dialogue between various disciplines, analyse the document of human fraternity and its impact on relations between religions and cultures, and provide practical recommendations to promote the concept of human fraternity in various fields.
He said the conference seeks to promote the concept of human fraternity as a fundamental human value for achieving peace and stability in the world.
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