Promoting Peaceful Coexistence and Common Citizenship

[ 100 ] — INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE FOR PEACE — Social media platforms have played a crucial role in recent years, giving activists and influencers a vital opportunity to promote IRD in order to counteract stereotypes, disseminate messages of peace, and foster tolerance. Media content flows across various platforms, from print to broadcast media to the Internet, widening access to information and creating a participatory culture where citizens not only consume information, but actively participate in its production and distribution. Unfortunately, risks and threats have accompanied this positive development, such as fake news and hate websites, which pose opinion as fact. Sustainable strategies are needed in order to harness the transformative power of social media as a positive tool for the promotion of diversity and acceptance. Furthermore, there is an urgent need for part- nerships across all levels — global, regional and local — to build bridges between communities through peaceful and respectful communications. Particular attention needs to be paid to prioritizing mutual respect in every social media interaction and campaign. Influencers and activists have a great responsibility to engage wisely and boldly and to constructively use online tools to increase positive dialogue. These actors must serve as catalysts for their followers to discover shared commonalities, engage consciously in society, and promote common values. “We should keep to our values, such as respect and dignity, and remember that these values are not for sale” Father Rifat Bader, Director of the Catholic Centre for Studies and Media, Jordan With a long background in traditional Journalism, Father Bader originally believed social media was a separate field, disconnected from his current work. He also believed his age would prevent him from learning to use it. Today Father Rabat uses Twitter and Facebook regularly and has launched a highly successful website. He encourages other religious leaders to educate themselves on social media and to combat fake news. “When we understand each other and can communicate without stereotypes, it is harder for messages of hate to divide” Mr. Abdullah Khaled Khurayef, Social Media Influencer, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Khurayef is a social media influencer with more than 2 million followers on Twitter. During a brief stay in the United States, he noticed that many of the people he met had misperceptions about Islam and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Similarly, he learned that many his Saudi colleagues had misperceptions about the west. Using his passion for languages, Khurayef has translated videos into Arabic and English which combat negative stereotypes. He believes that social media can be effectively used to counter hate speech and foster mutual understanding. Panel IV — Social Media as Space for Dialogue