Secretary-General of the Abu Dhabi Peace Forum: Zayed’s vision inspires the process of building bridges and protecting world peace

Prague, 21 November / WAM / His Excellency Sheikh Mahfouz bin Bayyah, Secretary-General of the Abu Dhabi Peace Forum, delivered a speech at the opening session of the Ministerial Conference on Religious Freedom, which was opened by His Excellency the President of the Czech Republic, in the presence of a number of ministers, senior officials and representatives of international organizations.

His Excellency began the speech by expressing his deep appreciation to the government of the Czech Republic for hosting this extremely important global event. He stressed that the Abu Dhabi Peace Forum’s continuation of its mission embodies loyalty to the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, who saw that peace is the path and the goal, and that building bridges and extinguishing fires before they break is a moral duty and a cultural responsibility.

Sheikh Mahfouz bin Bayyah pointed out the symbol of beauty and inspiration that the city of Prague represents, citing verses of the poet Muhammad Mahdi Al-Jawahiri, in which he described the charm of the city from the Slavia Cafe overlooking the Vltava River.

His Excellency explained that the UAE and its partners are working to establish a vision based on human dignity and the unifying commonalities between members of the human family, noting that belief in these commonalities enables building bridges over disparities, and holds the international community a shared responsibility for preserving peace and protecting the human home from moral and intellectual fires.

He said that the world today needs to restore the moral conscience of humanity, stressing that scientific progress is not a substitute for moral progress, and that material civilization separated from values ​​may lead to self-destruction.

His Excellency stressed that the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, “may God protect him,” represents a reference for work in this field, and consolidates the UAE’s position as a house of peace and coexistence that accommodates everyone without exception. He added that confronting hate speech is a necessity to protect civil peace, because the first spark of conflicts begins with the word.

Sheikh Mahfouz bin Bayyah also announced that the Abu Dhabi Peace Forum is preparing to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the historic Marrakesh Declaration to protect non-Muslim minorities in the Islamic world. He stressed that this anniversary is not just a commemorative station, but rather a moment to restore the moral and human value of this declaration, which reformulated the legitimate understanding of relations within societies, and established the principles of equal citizenship and respect for diversity.

He explained that the declaration has proven, over a whole decade, its positive impact in inspiring policies, enhancing confidence, and preserving diversity as a source of strength and stability. He pointed out that presenting examples of stories of sacrifice and belonging will highlight the noble role that minorities have played in serving their countries throughout history, and contribute to building a comprehensive national narrative that promotes coexistence and refute false allegations.

His Excellency stressed that Christians in the East “existed to remain, were born to live, and are an authentic root of the Abrahamic family tree that cannot be uprooted, no matter how strong the storms are.” He stressed that their presence represents a civilizational and cultural asset that contributes to the stability and balance of the region.

Sheikh Al-Mahfouz bin Bayyah concluded his speech by emphasizing that the tenth anniversary of the Marrakesh Declaration will be a platform for reintroducing these models to new generations, and establishing a future in which nations advance in their diversity, and in which unity is strengthened through active citizenship and solid human solidarity.

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