DICID Presents a paper at the seminar “International Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures” (2013-2022)

23 Oct DICID Presents a paper at the seminar “International Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures” (2013-2022)

His Excellency Prof. Ibrahim Saleh Al Naimi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue, delivered a lecture at a seminar organized by the Ministry of Culture in Doha on Sunday, October 16, 2022. The seminar is being held as part of the efforts and activities of the Ministry of Culture, which is organizing a series of symposiums related to the International Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures” (2013-2022). In December 2012, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the 2013-2022 period as the “International Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures” (IDRC) builds on the strong momentum and successes of the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence for the Children of the World (2001-2010) and the International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures (2010).

The (IDRC) aims to take serious and immediate action to address the flare-up of conflict, violence, and intolerance that the world is currently experiencing. It aims to ensure that peoples and nations join forces to develop a universal global consciousness that is free of stereotypes and prejudice. The International Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures should be seen as a commitment to address this urgent need to consider and make explicit new connections between cultural diversity and universal values. In addition, in April 2014, the Executive Committee of UNESCO adopted an action plan.

This session was entitled: Cultural Diversity for the Convergence of Cultures. It was chaired by Jamal Fayez Al-Saeed, Director of the Cultural Seminars Project at the Department of Culture and Arts of the Ministry of Culture. Three people participated in the panel discussion: His Excellency Prof. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al-Naimi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue, Dr. Nawzad Abdul Rahman Al-Hiti, expert and consultant at the Qatar Committee for the Alliance of Civilizations; and Mariam Yassin Al-Hammadi, Director of the Department of Culture and Arts at the Ministry of Culture.

“Cultural Diversity and Religious Pluralism” was the title of the first lecture given by the Chairman of Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue. He began his speech by highlighting the importance of the event because “it contributes to the dissemination of one of the most important human values that reflects the culture of Qatari society, the noble Islamic and Arab morality that it grew up with and that has been passed down from generation to generation, and it contributes to the construction of a global human civilization that corresponds to today’s times and lived reality.

Prof. Ibrahim referred to Qatar’s National Vision 2030 in his speech, saying, “Promoting the spirit (tolerance, supporting dialogue between civilizations, promoting coexistence between different religions and cultures) is an important element of the pillar of social development, which is one of the four pillars for achieving Qatar’s National Vision 2030, along with human development, economic development and environmental development.” He stressed that the concept of cultural diversity and other related terms came into being to counter the idea discussed in the 1996 book “The Clash of Civilizations” by the famous author Samuel Huntington, and to address the idea of conflict or clash, and that the term also came into being to bring things back to their normal course and promote peace and coexistence after the incident of September 11, 2001.

In his speech, Prof. Ibrahim pointed out that diversity and pluralism are undeniable universal laws and factors and it is a healthy phenomenon proven by the Holy Quran, which states that all human beings have one origin and from this origin diversity and pluralism have emerged. Prof. Ibrahim also stressed that cultural diversity is proven in reality and Islam recognizes it: “and It does not mean giving up your identity, your religious principles or your personal and national culture, but I value my culture and identity, and I do not go to the extreme and abrogate this right for the others.”

Among the most important points of the speech of the Chairman of the Board of Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue is his statement about the efforts of the State of Qatar in the field of cultural diversity and religious pluralism, which are in line with Islamic morality and authentic Arab values: We at Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue seek to embody this reality through our activities and programs.

The seminar was useful, interesting and rich in interventions, contributions and interactions of those present. Another feature of the event was the added value of the contributions presented and the ideas and proposals they contained. The session was dedicated to the elites of the State of Qatar and those working on the issues of culture, dialogue and diversity in Qatar. Of note was the presentation by Dr. Nawzad Abdul Rahman Al-Hiti, Economist at the Qatar Committee for the Alliance of Civilizations, entitled “Culture and Sustainable Development,” in which he spoke about the background of the term and the global interest in it, as well as the State of Qatar’s local and global efforts on sustainability and culture. The third presentation was given by Mariam Yassin Al Hammadi, Director of the Department of Culture and Arts at the Ministry of Culture, and was titled “Cultural Diversity and Enhancing Expression” She spoke about mechanisms to promote understanding and cooperation for peace between cultures, challenges faced in terms of coexistence, and methods to evaluate problems in order to find the best solutions. She also pointed out the main activities of the State of Qatar in the field of cultural expression and Qatar’s role in this field at the local and global levels.