Ashraf Abo Arafe
The King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Center for Dialogue between Religions and Cultures in Vienna participated in the Second International Meeting “The Role of the United Nations and Interfaith Partnerships in the Empowerment of Communities and the Consolidation of Equality and Inclusiveness”, held at United Nations Headquarters in New York and organized by the Advisory Council of United Nations Agencies , Which consists of the Advisory Board on the Global Monitoring Report on Education from representatives of multilateral agencies of the United Nations agencies, bilateral agencies, non-governmental organizations, civil society groups and networks, directors of the UNESCO Education Institutes, developing countries around the world – on religion and development.
The conference focused on the agenda and objectives of sustainable development and the importance of cooperation among different organizations to achieve its objectives, with the participation of forty-five organizations of religious and human values.
The meeting was attended by a number of Arab and European ambassadors, including Saudi Arabia, Spain, Denmark, Finland and the Minister of Religious Freedom in Denmark, as well as a number of international religious and intellectual leaders. The former Shura Council member and former Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund, Speaking about her local and international experience, and her journey in the process of serious and fruitful work in her country, as the first female figure of Saudi Arabia and Arab influential internationally led by the agency of the United Nations, which worked for ten years with all competence and experience recommended by the ability of King Abdullah International Center for Dialogue among the followers of religions and cultures.
The Secretary-General of the King Abdullah International Center for Dialogue among Religions and Cultures, the Co-Chair of the Consultative Council of United Nations Agencies for Religion and Development, Mr. Faisal Bin Muammar, delivered a speech in which he assured the participants of the role of the Advisory Council at its second meeting after one year of its establishment to connect individuals, religious and humanitarian values with policy makers of the United Nations and diverse international organizations to realize the hopes and aspirations of global organizations to discuss pressing issues and to make appropriate proposals and initiatives for United Nations organizations and various units in all issues related to the agenda 2030.
Mr. Muammar spoke about the World Center for Dialogue in Vienna, its programs and objectives, noting that it includes the basic human rights in all its initiatives and dialogues which it seeks to promote coexistence among followers of religions, especially the right to life and other fundamental rights. The ability to form common rules for making peace and living in common citizenship; because the goals of religions, the promotion of the dignity and freedom of the individual as a target and the cornerstone of their systems of decadence and true religious people are the ones who draw from religion a path they call to the top Humanitarian which means we need to find more effective means to establish strong convictions among policy makers about establishing common ground with them.
