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Conference in Jordan Expounds on the Amman Message
Written by UPF - Jordan
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Translation of reports in three Jordanian newspapers
Amman, Jordan - The Al-Etihad Al-Watani Party and the Universal Peace Federation organized an international conference Dec. 20-22, 2012, to explain the significance of the Amman Interfaith Message and its role in perpetuating the noble values of religions and coexistence between them.
On the opening evening of the three-day conference attended by federal representatives from various countries around the world and a number of Al-Etihad Al-Watani Party members, former Prime Minister Faisal al-Fayez confirmed the importance of the Amman Message in bringing people together in a world full of tensions, wars, chaos, and the spread of extremism and terrorism that has no religion or identity - a world which is witnessing pervasive doctrinal, religious, and sectarian conflicts. He said that the Amman Message can form a major anchor in the efforts to increase awareness, security, and stability because this message carries the optimal values of love, compassion, and acceptance of others, respect for religion, tolerance, justice, and renouncing violence and extremism.
Furthermore, he spoke of being proud that God blessed Jordan with a wise Hashemite leadership that is always devoted to every effort to spread the culture of coexistence, love, and harmony and works to promote humanitarian values in the Middle East, where conflicts and wars require the arbitration of reason and logic and the promotion of a culture of positive dialogue and acceptance of others.
He explained that Muslim-Christian coexistence in Jordan forms a model of coexistence on a global level and is a model of fraternity and maximizing the common denominators between the two parties. The Amman Message has broad resonance because of the great role played by His Majesty King Abdullah II on the regional and international levels to disseminate the values of tolerance based on dialogue and understanding among the followers of different religions.
The Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Dr. Abd Al-Salam Al-Abadi, said that the Amman Message shows the true image of Islam, which is God's desire for human happiness and well-being. He mentioned that this message was launched from Amman to reflect the reality of the pillars of this religion and to stress that the Islamic civilization has made effective contributions to the development of civilization throughout the ages.
A member of the General Secretariat of the Al-Etihad Al-Watani Party, Mahmoud Shaibi, said that this conference was particularly important in emphasizing the Amman Message and its implications for promoting coexistence among religions as a turning point in the Middle East, resisting the urgent challenges of this time, and creating opportunities to achieve peace and security.
Speaking on behalf of the Al-Etihad Al-Watani Party, Mohammed Khashman clarified that a country's strength is measured not by the size of its population nor by the abundance of its resources but by the wisdom of its leadership and their ability to manage and direct walks of life and at the same time to devise what should promote good and avoid evil. He described the Amman Message as a statement of Muslims issued from the Jordanian capital under the guidance of His Majesty the King seeking change and reform, achieving good for his people by promoting the tolerant message of Islam.
In turn, the Secretary General of the Universal Peace Federation, Thomas Walsh, remarked that the Amman Message is a historic document and important for enlightening the world about the spirit of Islam and its principles, which include moderation and respect for the other party and that the message has shown Islam to be a religion of tolerance and humaneness, recognizing the freedom of religious belief and expression.
The Universal Peace Federation is a global network of individuals and organizations from around the world dedicated to building a world of peace in which all people can live in freedom, cooperation, harmony, and prosperity. Its philosophy is based on the fact that peace is not merely the absence of war or truce between countries but the essential quality that should characterize all human relations.
Note: Released by H.M. King Abdullah II in Amman, Jordan on November 9, 2004, the Amman Message sought to declare what Islam is and what it is not and also what actions represent Islam and what actions do not. To read the text in English, click here.
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