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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Oman's efforts for world peace earns global acclaim

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PARIS: The Sultanate’s efforts towards world peace and all-round initiatives for harmony of different religions and beliefs have been appreciated at the Unesco headquarters in Paris on Tuesday. At an exhibition titled ‘Tolerance, Understanding and Coexistence — Oman‘s Message of Islam’, which showcased the national policy of unity to a global audience of 500 delegates for the third time at Unesco as part of the International Peace Conference sponsored by several member states, participants welcomed the country’s stand on international matters.


Dr Samira Moosa Mohammed al Moosa, Ambassador Permanent Delegate of the Sultanate to Unesco; Mohammed al Maamari, Scientific Adviser to the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs; Georg Popp, General-Secretary of the German-Omani Association and Managing Director of Arabia Felix, Germany; and Riaz Ravat, Deputy Director of St Philip’s Centre in the UK, took part in the discussions that followed. A spokesperson from Oman’s Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs (MERA) said the exhibition was organised by the ministry in cooperation with the Permanent Delegation of the Sultanate to Unesco. It will continue until September 21.


Dr Samira Moosa al Moosa described the efforts of the Sultanate under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos and his responsibility to promote a culture of tolerance and firmly distance from violence. “Human values are sacred in the teachings of Islam,” Dr Samira al Moosa said, adding that such initiatives can help nurture understanding and unity among world countries. The International Peace Conference was initiated by Master Chin Kung of the Pure Land Buddhist tradition. Master Kung, who has a global following, said: “The exhibition is very important to humanity and I invite you to continue it.”


Mohammed al Maamari gave a speech in which he thanked Unesco for hosting the exhibition and the Permanent Delegation of the Sultanate to Unesco. He also thanked the Association of the Friends of Master Chin Kung at Unesco and the staff of both the Sultanate and Paris, France, for their fruitful and effective cooperation.


“Partnerships for the exhibition are expanding and our responsibility for its renewal and development is growing,” Mohammed al Maamari said.


The opening ceremony of the exhibition was held in the presence of a number of eminent personalities, including ambassadors, heads of religious centres, academics, and religious and belief communities from France.


Master Chin Kung, who is 92 years old, expressed his thanks and admiration for the cooperation in organising the exhibition, which he said is in the interest of mankind. He highlighted the need for new educational publications on tolerance and dialogue.


The exhibition included paintings, descriptions of Islam in public life, creative sculptures and calligraphy as well as Omani antiques and historical artefacts.


In addition, the exhibition had electronic displays which included all the contents of the exhibition in 18 languages. The panel discussion on the experience of coexistence, tolerance and understanding in Oman began with an introduction by Dr Samira Moosa al Moosa, followed by Riaz Ravat, who presented a case study about the project’s impact in the UK. This talk also included an interactive quiz which set out to challenge the audience by encouraging them to think deeper. Georg Popp spoke about the story of the exhibition since its inception in 2010. He pointed to 117 exhibitions in 35 countries. A remarkable achievement. — ONA


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