Promoting Peaceful Coexistence and Common Citizenship

[ 129 ] — APPENDICES — nder the auspices of the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreli- gious and Intercultural Dialogue, high-level representatives of the major world religious and social institutions have gathered to agree on programs and initiatives that contribute to strengthening the unity against violence in the name of religion to support religious and cultural diversity in Iraq and Syria. Because the multi-religious nature, KAICIID and its diverse board is an example for commitment to preserving religious and cultural diversity, and unequivocally reject all forms of violent actions, especially the ones that are commit- ted in the name of religion.The centre strives to foster dialogue and to strengthen the foundations of citizenship. KAICIID desires to enhance the spirit of moderation, and to establish purposeful and sincere dialogue founded upon the principles of coexistence, mutual understanding and cooperation. Although conflicts in the world over the past two decades in various regions have caused tremendous grief for us, we recognize that the ramifications of this current conflict have dangerously expanded and targeted the followers of every religion--Muslims, Christians and others. We unanimously denounce these destructive actions wherever they may occur. We especially condemn the harrowing and treach- erous events that have recently occurred in the Middle East, particularly in Iraq and Syria. We reject violence in all its forms especially the violence perpetuated in the name of religion because we believe esca- lating violence and destruction ultimately destroy the entire foundation for social cohesion. In the wake of such losses, there have been hundreds of thousands of casualties— innocent men, women, and children—as well as millions of refugees who have fled or have been forcefully uprooted, exposed to injustice, and driven from their homes. The homelands left behind are scarred, as well, because com- munities are fragmented by violence and war. As leaders of various religious and faith traditions, we must oppose persecution inflicted on all the components of the social fabric especially Christians, Yazidis and other religious and ethnic groups such as Turkmen and Shabak in Iraq and Syria. Persecution of people, violating their sanctity as the case of Yazidi women and enslaving the people are ways contrary to every human conscience. Persecution and execution of people who exercise their basic human right to worship as they choose contradict noble religious ideals, as well as tear the fabric of civilization, nullifying past human- itarian gains. The effort of many religious leaders over the years to establish a shared ethic of peaceful coexistence between all the segments of the Iraqi and Syrian societies, Christians, Muslims, Yazidis, Turkmen and Shabak. And, because of the expositionof Islam’s teachings, theMus- lims’ values, and civilizational role to amutilation by extremist groups, which manipulate religion in the service of justifying its killing and destruction against Muslims and others and destructing conducts by harming the innocents, defiling states and their sovereignty, demolishing religious shrines and wor- shipping places, and imposing hegemonic rules and laws over citizens. These actions which stem from strange ideas that are totally incompatible with our cultures and history, contrast with the genuine Islamic teachings, and destroy the connec- tions, not just between the followers of diverse religions, but also among the followers of the same faith. Clearly, the region is in a fragile period of history, and the international and regional complexities of these cir- cumstances are not easily understood, nor solved. Perhaps, the first step is to listen to the appeal of the displaced, the orphans, the widows, and the bereaved. We have gathered today as religious authorities from the Arab countries and the world, in the presence of high level governmental, intergovernmental, and civil society officials to affirm the common bond of the right of every human to follow one’s own faith without fear of death or destruction. We raise a joint plea to the powerful and almighty God to strengthen us to shoulder our responsibility at this moment in history. In the shadow of these difficult circumstances, we remain sincere in our convictions, true to our religious teachings and mindful of our humanitarian values. We gather together to listen to each other, and to think together about possibilities for cooperation to transform the crisis. It is through dialogue and the strengthening of our Vienna Declaration United Against Violence in the Name of Religion November 19, 2014 U