Jordan Times
Monday, July 26, 2004
Christian, Muslim leaders focus on promoting tolerance
AMMAN (Petra) — Christian and Muslim leaders
began a two-day conference in Amman yesterday, focusing on means to promote
tolerance, cooperation and peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims
in the Arab world.
In a speech on the opening day, the Jerusalem-based Latin Patriarch of Jordan
and Palestine Michel Sabbah called on Muslims and Christians to exert more
efforts towards protecting their unity.
He said the Hashemites are recognised as the first among Arab rulers to take the
initiative in building a society marked by harmony and close cooperation among
the followers of the two faiths.
In another speech, Jerusalem Mufti Sheikh Akramah Sabri called for a joint
Muslim-Christian stand to foil all attempts by Israel to perpetuate its
occupation of Palestine and to drive out its Arab population.
Prime Minister Faisal Fayez, who deputised for His Majesty King Abdullah at the
opening session, presented the King's medal to the Islamic Daawa Society which
is co-sponsoring the meeting with the Jordan Centre for Studies and Information.
The two-day meeting is attended by a group of prominent Muslim and Christian
researchers and intellectuals.