World Council of Churches: A parliamentarian from the UAE has cautioned a group of young Christian, Jewish, and Muslim peacemakers that terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda and the Islamic State have shown proficiency in using social media to attain their goals.
Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, a member of the UAE Federal National Council for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and chairman of the Defense Affairs, Interior & Foreign Affairs Committee at the Council, was a keynote speaker at the Emerging Peacemakers Forum, held 5-14 July at the World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical Institute at Bossey.
“One of the areas that I work on is countering extremist narratives on the internet, on social media. And you know that terrorist organizations use it, especially Al Qaeda, ISIS, and Daesh. And unfortunately, they are very proficient in using it, especially Daesh,” said Al Nuaimi.
At the forum, 50 young people from Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe, the youngest being 20, are taking in the event hosted by the WCC, the Muslim Council of Elders, and Rose Castle Foundation, just outside Geneva, Switzerland.
“Many countries underestimated that strength,” said the UAE legislator referring to the ability of terror groups to use social media. “So I think it’s imperative that in each country, we have people—it’s not only the official, officials, organization, or persons,” who can be used as “unique public figures. We need role models in each community, society, and nation to promote them.”
Right and wrong
The UAE politician said that “social media is an open source. It’s a global platform; you can’t control it,” so individuals have to enable regeneration, differentiate between right and wrong, and judge and evaluate.
At the same session, WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay spoke of the enormous role of peacemaking in the life of the council, representing almost 600 million Christians worldwide.
“For us, peacemaking is very important because, as I said, we believe that the counsel of God calls us to create a better world election, in the world, must be defined, and kingdom values,” said Pillay, a South African theologian.
“And one of the things we believe as Christians is the kingdom of God. And the kingdom of God speaks about the entire world.”
Pillay said those attributes` of the WCC are being applied to the war in Ukraine that Russia stepped up in February 2022.
Ukraine and Russia
He said that in Ukraine and Russia, the most significant composition of the population is Orthodox Christians.
“And we are working through those Christians in those given areas to say, how can we work with you? Firstly, to find unity amongst yourselves, because the war has divided you, but also to find unity amongst ourselves?
“How can we find unity and peace in the context of war? So we plan a roundtable that we hope to have in October to bring the different parties together and to have further conversations in working towards a bigger roundtable of peacemaking where we will bring together other religious leaders, politicians, and other people who will work with us towards peace itself.”
A third keynote speaker was Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, an economist and secretary-general of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development since September 2021 and the first woman to hold this position in the organization’s history.
“I myself am the daughter of immigrants, the first generation. My father left Europe because of the Second World War. And so, I know exactly what it means to be in a country that can integrate the diversity and what it means to create the opportunity for my parents to build a family in dignity, you know, with education,” said Grynspan.
She spoke of the need for power-sharing rules in divided societies and “power wellbeing for everybody independent” of election results.
“You need good governance rules to consider the diversity and fragmentation that we see in societies…. we need to think about how we can have better rules of power-sharing in government.”
Muslim Council of Elders says peacemakers conference to empower young people
Abdelsalam is secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Elders, co-president of Religions for Peace, and a judge at the Egyptian Council of State.
On arrival at the World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, he greeted each of the participants.
At the forum, 50 young people from Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe, the youngest being 20, are taking in the event hosted by the WCC, Muslim Council of Elders, and Rose Castle Foundation, just outside Geneva, Switzerland.
The Emerging Peacemakers Forum is being held 5-14 July.
Abdelsalam is the first Arab Muslim to receive the medal of Commander with Star from the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, for his efforts at promoting interreligious dialogue.
Abdelsalam represents the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar on Religions for Peace’s highest leadership body, its World Council.
“I hope that after this forum, we will receive your ideas and proposals for initiatives and projects in writing.”
He urged those participating in the forum to have confidence in themselves and their ability to shape the future.
Exchanging ideas with the forum participants, Abdelsalam said that the Muslim Council of Elders has a great interest in youth through various initiatives and efforts to harness their potential to become positive influencers in their communities.
He called upon the youth to build upon what they have learned in this forum edition and to be a source of inspiration for others, following the example of graduates from the first edition who have become leading and influential role models among their peers and in their communities.
Abdelsalam also emphasized the importance of education in building generations capable of promoting peace and adhering to values of dialogue, tolerance, coexistence, and confronting the rhetoric of hate, bigotry, and discrimination.
He highlighted that the Muslim Council of Elders seeks to incorporate values of dialogue, respect, acceptance, and human fraternity into educational programs in collaboration with global academic institutions.
The judge also reiterated the council’s efforts to highlight the importance of educating girls and empowering women.
Organizers said the forum emerged through the recurring dialogues between the East and the West, initiated by the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, to build bridges of dialogue and cooperation between the East and the West.
Students from the Emerging Peacemakers Forum will graduate on 13 July in the Main Hall of the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva. The program will feature words of welcome by WCC general secretary Rev. Prof Dr Jerry Pillay, who will also offer a keynote address.
Judge Abdelsalam and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Justin Welby, will offer additional keynote messages. Filippo Grandi, United Nations high commissioner for Refugees, will also share a message.
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