Promote tolerance to achieve world peace
KUWAIT CITY : Bridging the gap between Muslims and non-Muslims by
promoting tolerance is
essential to achieve world peace, Executive Director of the American
Islamic Congress (AIC)
Zainab Al-Suwaij told the Arab Times. Al-Suwaij discussed the issue in a
forum organized
Tuesday by Kuwait Bar Association (KBA). Participants in the forum
tackled human rights
violations, women’s political rights, terrorism, suicide bombing and human
trafficking. The
event took place at the KBA building with the attendance of Counselor for
Public Affairs at the
American Embassy in Kuwait John F. Berry, several KBA members and other
human rights activists.
Talking about AIC, Al-Suwaij revealed the organization — through its
offices in Iraq, Egypt,
Boston and Washington, DC in the USA — protects human rights as well as
the rights of the
minority and women.
Dialogues
Since its establishment, AIC has been working on individual rights and
initiating dialogues
between Muslims and non-Muslims in America and other parts of the world.
It hosts an event
every month in the American Congress to increase awareness among the staff
and members on
issues related to Islam. It has also designed a program for youths in the
Middle East and
other Muslim nations — the Arm Cross for Support Alliance. The program is
aimed at educating
youths between 18 to 35 years old on how to be active in their respective
communities to
initiate change or lead a campaign against human rights violations,
Al-Suwaij explained.
AIC also offers a college campus program for Muslim students in American
colleges — Project NUA
— which also operates in 12 Middle East countries, Al-Suwaij added.
Useful
On the importance of meeting lawyers, Al-Suwaij stressed “this discussion
is very useful as it
is aimed at exploring and exchanging ideas between AIC and KBA members.
We discussed various
ways to promote tolerance and bridge the gap between the East and West,
particularly the
Muslims and non-Muslims. Human rights and women’s issues were also among
the important topics
discussed.”
Al-Suwaij hopes for more collaboration between KBA and AIC in the future
to promote
understanding and create a channel through which Kuwaitis can convey
their ideas to the west
and open dialogues between the two communities.
When asked if AIC is facing any problem in the US, Al-Suwaij said the
organization is
implementing its programs smoothly in the US. The only obstacle is the
media, which often
portray Muslims negatively. AIC has addressed this issue through
intensive media campaigns
aimed at eradicating misconceptions about Islam.
On the other hand, Labeed Abdal, who chaired the meeting, said “one of our
main objectives is
to follow-up all activities that promote understanding of different
cultures and religions.
Our constitution guarantees freedom of expression and freedom to practice
one’s own religion.
We need to promote tolerance due to the proliferation of terrorist
ideologies and fallacies
about Islam.”
Abdal clarified the meeting is focused on the truth about Islam and it is
a great opportunity
for KBA to coordinate with the US Embassy and AIC regarding this crucial
issue. Legal
practitioners who are active in international law, Islamic law,
constitutional law and family
law which, in one way or another, are related to Islam, discussed ways to
protect all
religions and counter terrorism, he revealed.
Attorney Mubarak Al-Mutawa, member of International Law Office (ILO-Bonn),
discussed insults to
Islam in western countries, such as the caricatures of Prophet Mohammed
(PBUH) which were
published in some newspapers in Europe. He said this is a grave insult to
Islam that has
prompted thousands of Muslims around the world to express their anger
through demonstrations.
Al-Suwaij pointed out Muslims have the right to express their anger over
any insult to their
religion but they should not resort to violence to air their grievances.
“Violent protests
have only proven the common misconception that Muslims are aggressive. We
should express our
feelings through a peaceful dialogue,” she added.
By Abubakar A. Ibrahim
Arab Times Staff
http://www.arabtimesonline.com/kuwaitnews/pagesdetails.asp?nid=16519&ccid=9
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com
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