Promoting Peaceful Coexistence and Common Citizenship

[ 84 ] — INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE FOR PEACE — interreligious actors. Given the ongoing conflict and wars around the world, we want to highlight the need to hold further meetings such as this one, so as to combat violence and promote coexistence instead of hostility, as well as fill- ing the gaps between different religious followers. This is the main message, the eternal message, of Islam in addition to the messages of all other heavenly messages from all other religions. Dialogue is the foundation on which to achieve peaceful coexistence among all religious followers. 15 years ago, during my tenure as Minister of Islamic Affairs in my country, Kuwait, we ran a pilot project, estab- lishing the International Mediation Centre to work on strengthening what is called intermediate values. We also urged the importance of dialogue as a conduit for convic- tion based on scientific methodology. For us, intellectual confrontation is pivotal to the combat of terrorism, with as much effort and investment required in this as to the management of security in the usual sense. Intellectual confrontation is a means of uprooting the disease and stopping terrorist organizations from manip- ulating the minds of our young people, and exploiting economic and social problems in order to disseminate their evil thoughts. That is why everyone, from scientists, religious leaders and academics to journalists, sports organ- izations, and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), should work on this. A few days ago, I participated, along with representa- tives of CSOs, academics, and peacemakers from around the world, in a conference held in Washington, DC. At the end of the conference, important recommendations were made calling for peaceful coexistence, love, and civilized communication among all people. In addition to the need to preserve human freedom, we also need to protect human rights and dignity regardless of ethnic, religious and cultural affiliations. This is another of the tenets to which we aspire in this intellectual, high level meeting. In conclusion, I would once again like to thank the organizers of this very important meeting for the power to evince such a cultural, ethnic and religious diversity. We look forward to seeing fruitful recommendations that would strengthen our combat against violent extremism and all erroneous thoughts. Thanks be to God and may the peace of God be upon you. HE Dr. Abdullah M. AlMatouq Chairman of the International Islamic Charity Organization, Adviser at Al Diwan Al Amiri, Special Adviser to the Secretary General of the UN Dr. AlMatouq serves as Adviser to Al Diwan Al Amiri of the State of Kuwait, Chairman of the International Islamic Charitable Organization and Special Adviser to the Secretary General of the United Nations. Additionally, he has been a Member of the Board of Trustees of the UAE-based Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies since its foundation in 2014, and a Member of the Saudi Arabia-based Muslim World League since 2010. Dr. AlMatouq has received numerous awards including the Certificate of Appreciation from UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon in acknowledgment of his efforts as Humanitarian Envoy, where he garnered support for humanitarian crises. He played a prominent role in coordinating aid for the Syrian Crisis by organizing three donor conferences in support of the humanitarian situation. In addition, between 2013 and 2016, he pioneered four NGO conferences for the benefit of Syria, raising donations worth more than one billion dollars. Intellectual confrontation is a means of uprooting the disease and stopping terrorist organizations from manipulating the minds of our young people, and exploiting economic and social problems in order to disseminate their evil thoughts. That is why everyone... should work on this