Human Fraternity meeting a rare global alliance: Sheikh Nahyan

Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of State for Tolerance.- AP

The Human Fraternity Conference that kicked off in Abu Dhabi on Sunday is a rare global alliance that will reaffirm the values of tolerance and fight destructive forces like terrorism, extremism and hate, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of State for Tolerance has said.
"You leaders have assembled here as an extraordinary diverse international group of brothers and sisters. You represent the difference and diversity that exemplifies humanity," said Sheikh Nahyan addressing a gathering of more than 600 religious figures from across the world.
The two-day Human Fraternity Conference being held at Emirates Palace, is one of its kind inter-faith gathering in the UAE capital that brings together 'cultures, faiths and civilizations' with an aim to foster tolerance and inter-faith dialogue.
The conference will address three main themes: Principles of Human Fraternity, Common Responsibility to achieving Human Fraternity and Human Fraternity: Challenges and Opportunities.
"This conference is truly a unique multi-cultural event that builds on tolerance that enables and encourages empathy, compassion, dialogue, understanding and respect. You will constitute in effect a global alliance dedicated to identifying action that will reaffirm values and combat destructive forces of extremism, terrorism, poverty, maladministration, ill-treatment of women, environmental abuse, illiteracy, prejudice and hate, scientific and logical ignorance, lack of sanitation and health care and greedy establishments that oppose the very idea of human fraternity," added Sheikh Nahyan.
Describing Pope Francis and Grand Imam as "global forces for compassion and peace", Sheikh Nahyan said that they exemplify the moral force that is needed to meet the global challenges of the 21st century.
"Their participation in this conference speaks eloquently of the power of tolerance and human fraternity. You also represent that power."
The minister said despite the differences of beliefs and visions of the religious figures,  the international dialogue among them "will proceed in the spirt of human fraternity."
The conference will conclude on Monday with a historic meeting between Pope Francis and Ahmed Al-Tayyeb, the Grand Imam of Al Azhar Al Sharif.
anjana@khaleejtimes.com