UNESCO, Paris, France 2018
September 17th, 2018.
On Monday, September 17th, 2018, Oman's commitment to peace between the world’s different religions and beliefs was profiled to a global audience at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France.
The Omani Exhibition was a part of the International Peace Conference sponsored by several member states.
A highlight of the conference was a panel discussion moderated by HE Dr. Samira Moosa al Moosa, Permanent Delegate of the Sultanate of Oman to UNESCO; Dr. Mohammed al Mamari, Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs in Oman; Mr. Georg Popp, General Secretary of the German-Omani Association, Germany; and Mr. Riaz Ravat, Deputy Director of St Philip’s Centre in the UK.
The International Peace Conference was initiated by the respected Venerable Master Chin Kung of the Pure Land Buddhist tradition. Master Kung has a global following and commented that:
“The exhibition is very important to humanity and I invite you to continue it.”
HE Dr. Samira Al Moosa added that:
“Human values are sacred in the teachings of Islam.”
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Images from the exhibition in the International Peace Conference at UNESCO, Paris - 2018 - click to enlarge image
Dr. Mohammed Al Mamari said that:
“Partnerships for the exhibition are expanding and our responsibility for its renewal and development is growing.”
The exhibition was organized by the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs in cooperation with the Permanent Delegation of the Sultanate of Oman to UNESCO. The opening ceremony was held in the presence of a number of eminent personalities at UNESCO. Those attending included a number of ambassadors, heads of religious centers, academics and religious and belief communities from France.
Dr. Mohammed Al Mamari gave a speech in which he thanked UNESCO and the Permanent Delegation of the Sultanate to UNESCO for hosting the exhibition. He also thanked the Association of the Friends of Master Chin Kung at UNESCO and the staff in the Sultanate and in Paris for their fruitful and effective cooperation. He stressed that the partnerships with various organizations and centers in the world are continuing to expand, with hundreds of applications having been received requesting to host the exhibition in different countries.
In his visit to the exhibition, Master Chin Kung, who is 92 years old, expressed his thanks and admiration for the cooperation in organizing this exhibition, which is in the interest of mankind. He highlighted the need to continue to add new educational publications on the topic of tolerance and dialogue.
The panel discussion on the experience of coexistence, tolerance and understanding in Oman began with an introduction by HE Dr. Samira Moosa Al Moosa. She was followed by Mr. 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. Mr. 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.
Dr. Al Mamari then spoke about the values of dignified living and the modern renaissance led by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. He pointed out the foundations of justice, equality and common human values by referring to Omani cultural heritage, trade, cultural openness and communication based on the exchange of interests.
Finally, a significant part of the Omani presence was the launch and distribution of ‘World Religions – Coloring Book for Kids’ which was given to each of the 500 delegates in attendance. This proved to be amazingly popular with additional copies being given away to cope with the demand.
The book is free and can be downloaded from the internet as PDF. To download the coloring book in your preferred language, please click here on this Direct Link ➤.
Please visit our Virtual Global Exhibition in your preferred language
