WASHINGTON: The Sultanate is currently taking part at the 1st ministerial meeting on enhancing religious freedom in the world, which is held at Washington under the patronage of the US Department of State. The Sultanate is represented at this meeting, which will concluded on Thursday by Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdallah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs. The participation comes in response to an invitation forwarded by the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. This participation comes as part of the Sultanate’s fixed strategy based on religious tolerance, peaceful coexistence and combatting terrorism.
The ministerial meeting focuses on reaffirming the commitment of the international community to encourage religious freedom and ensuring the maximum part of its respect by identifying tangible and clear methods to combat religious discrimination and persecution in a bid to make a real and positive shift in this field. The meeting aims at addressing the legal challenges for the religious freedom and defending the equal rights for persons living at a certain country. It also seeks to maintain the cultural heritage for all creeds and provide care for victims of religious violence and persecution around the world.
The meeting programme includes panel discussion and side talks that discuss issues related to religious freedom, the freedom of woman, combatting terrorism and the effect of religious freedom on economic welfare. It should be noted that the meeting is attended by a number of foreign ministers and representatives of more than 80 governments from around the world in addition to representatives of the relevant international organisations, the US officials and congressmen, more than 100 religious leaders and 175 representatives of the civil society organisations.
Earlier, Yusuf bin Alawi met in Washington with Paul Ryan, Speaker of the US House of Representatives. The meeting stems from the strong Omani-US historic relations extending to long decades. The two sides discussed issues of common concern. They also stressed the importance of continuing the bilateral work between the Sultanate and United States in various fields, as well as international and regional files.
The 1st Ministerial Meeting on Promoting Freedom of Religion around the World, which concluded later, seeks to confront the legal challenges of religious freedom, protect equal rights of individuals in one state, preserve the cultural heritage of all beliefs and provide support and care for victims of violence and religious oppression around the world. — ONA
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