DICID Receives the Austrian Ambassador to Doha

26 Nov DICID Receives the Austrian Ambassador to Doha

Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Al-Naimi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue, received the Ambassador of the Republic of Austria to Doha, Her Excellency Mrs. Karin Fichtinger-Grohe, on Tuesday morning, November 23, 2021, at the center’s headquarters in Katara Cultural Village. The meeting discussed the center’s mission, objectives and ways to enhance existing cooperation between the Center and other institutions and bodies working in the field of interreligious dialogue in Austria.

At the outset of the meeting, Dr. Al-Naimi welcomed the Ambassador, thanked her for her interest in the Center and gave her an overview of the establishment, it’s vision, mission and objectives and activities which include the annual conference, round tables, training courses and cultural forums for the communities residing in Qatar. He also presented the center’s various publications, including published books, periodicals, selected articles, and in particular the Adyan journal, which covers topics that are not only concerned with dialogue between followers of religions, but also provide studies and research that discuss the relationship of religions with various humanitarian and real issues, such as ‘Religions: Confronting Epidemics and Diseases’ which was the fourteenth issue of journal.
On the other hand, Dr. Al-Naimi acknowledged the long and consistent cooperation the center enjoys with dialogue institutions in Austria through the regular participation of academics representatives and religious leaders from Islamic, Christian and Jewish traditions in Austria for the center’s activities like the annual conferences that have been taking place since the first interfaith conference in Doha. He also presented to Her Excellency the names of those invited from Austria to the 14th Doha Conference for Interfaith Dialogue which will be held in May 2022 on the topic of “Religions and Hate Speech between Practice and Scripture”. Dr. Al-Naimi welcomed the embassy’s support for maintaining this special relationship between the two parties, and without a doubt, it will strengthen and expand that relationship in the future.

For her part, Ambassador Karin Fichtinger-Grohe praised the role of the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue for its efforts to promote a culture of dialogue and coexistence between followers of religions and cultures to achieve peaceful coexistence and reject intolerance through its various activities, whether at the local or international levels. The center has been instrumental in consolidating and strengthening the bonds between the expatriate communities in Qatar and Qataris. Her Excellency also commended the wise policy of the Qatari leadership, which has been supporting peaceful solutions and dialogue, and has offered its good offices to resolve conflicts between the many parties around the world.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Dr. Al-Naimi thanked the Ambassador for her visit, and presented her with a number of the center’d publications, stressing that the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue is fully prepared to open channels of cooperation with all parties in Austria wishing to work together to serve humanity, exchange experiences, and promote the culture of dialogue between adherents of different religions.