10th Doha Interfaith Conference brings top scholars to Doha

23 Apr 10th Doha Interfaith Conference brings top scholars to Doha

The best practices in interfaith dialogue and role of religious scholars in resolving conflicts across the world will be discussed at the 10th Doha Interfaith Dialogue Conference that will begin at the Ritz-Carlton hotel today.

The Minister of Justice HE Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim will open the three-day conference.

The inaugural session will see the presentation of the first Doha International Award for Interfaith Dialogue. The award worth $100,000 will be given away to an institution or individual for outstanding contribution in the field of interfaith dialogue.

The winner will be announced at the beginning of the conference.

The meeting this year will be discussing a range of issues under four major topics — Academic, Justice, Conflict resolution and peace and Media culture, chairman of Doha International Centre for Interfaith Dialogue (DICID) Dr Ibrahim Salih Al Nuaimi said at a press conference on Sunday.

Some 500 delegates from 75 countries, including religious leaders and scholars, researchers in the field of comparative religion and representatives of interfaith institutions and organisations will take part in the event.

This conference is a continuation of the series that started in 2003 to develop a common understanding for dialogue between followers of different religions, said Al Nuaimi. Elaborating the four topics of the conference, Al Nuaimi said that the first one will focus on research and academic excellence in the teaching and study of interfaith relations and in the dissemination of academic research in addition to development of school and university curricula to encourage interfaith understanding.

The second topic — Justice — will include economic, social and environmental aspects, said Al Nuaimi, noting that the DICID actively participated in the UN Climate Change Conference in Doha in December last year underlining the vital role of religions in preservation of the environment and the planet.

The third topic – conflict resolution and peace – will discuss the role of religious scholars in addressing these issues.

The fourth topic will highlight the vital role of media in interfaith dialogue through publications and various communication tools in addition to cultural and creative activities.

Nasr Abdelaziz Al Nasr, president of the Alliance of Civilisations, Miguel Angel Ayuso Guixot, deputy president of political council for inter-religious dialogue at Vatican City, Dr Ali Al Quradaghi, general secretary of the International Islamic Scholars Union and Claudio Gregorio Epelman, executive director of Latin American Jewish Congress will address the opening session.