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New York : The UAE has reiterated its full support to the global interfaith dialogue, initiated by the King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia.
Addressing the interfaith conference currently being hosted in New York by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in response to a call by King Abdullah, His Highness Shaikh Hamad Bin Mohammad Al Sharqi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Fujairah, said that the diversity of faiths and cultures is a valuable human heritage, which needs to be protected.
This diversity can be perpetuated through collective efforts to preserve the sublime human values enshrined by various faiths, and coming together to combat aggression and oppression.
Followers of various faiths should help each other to let the truth and peace prevail, Shaikh Hamad said.
Alliance of civilisations
Shaikh Hamad is heading a UAE delegation to the conference as tasked by President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to represent him at the world event, which is attended by heads of states of several countries.
Shaikh Hamad said that by accepting the call made by King Abdullah earlier in July in Madrid, for a wider global interfaith dialogue, United Nations has enhanced its vital role for building the alliance of civilisations across the world.
"This will spread the principles of tolerance and the culture of peace," Shaikh Hamad noted in his speech addressing 67 representatives of various nations.
Earlier in his opening speech, Ban Ki-moon had sharply criticised the so-called Islamophobia, describing it as a new term for an old and terrible form of prejudice.
The UN Secretary General opened his speech with the Islamic greeting Assalamu alikum, which means peace be on you.
In his speech, Shaikh Hamad called on the world community to adopt the recommendations of the Madrid conference.
"We urge the world family to adopt all the valuable recommendations enshrined in the Madrid communique of interfaith dialogue," Shaikh Hamad said.
He stressed that the programmes aimed at spreading the culture of respect for religions and the freedom of faith.
In his speech, Shaikh Hamad also shed light on the magnificent religious harmony in the UAE, where the followers of various religions lead a peaceful life, enjoying the freedom of belief and practice. He also noted that UAE enacted a series of legislations promoting and protecting freedom of faith and religious harmony.
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