DOHA: Director of the Center for the Promotion of Moderation Director of Kuwait’s Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Dr. Abdullah Al-Shreika, said his ministry was keen on participating in the 15th Doha Conference for Interfaith Dialogue, which concluded on Wednesday evening. The two-day event shed light on the roles of faiths in cementing the coherence of family and society and protecting man against delinquencies that run counter to the teachings of Islam.

The conference provided a platform for religious scholars to exchange experience and cooperate for the benefit of humanity, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, he said, noting that such cooperation bears fruit in the combat against narcotics and other social menaces. Kuwait plays an effective role in advancing the cause of moderation, tolerance, and coexistence among the various segments of society, he affirmed.

Based on the noble values of Islam, the Kuwaiti legislation ensures the rights of everybody and the coherence of the social texture, Dr. Al-Shreika said, affirming that Kuwait is the country of humanity where everybody enjoys dignity, security, and safety. He expressed gratitude to the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue for organizing the just-ended conference.

The 15th Doha Conference on Interfaith Dialogue underlined the importance of preserving the family system and strengthening its foundations, as it is the fundamental cornerstone of society. In their final communiqué, the conferees stressed that preserving the family system can only be achieved by making religious teachings and values a guide for family life, elevating the importance of virtuous values and ethics, highlighting their role and impact in directing human behavior, and maximizing family cohesion.

The statement affirmed the centrality of education as a vital path to achieving a healthy upbringing for future generations who shape the future. The conference called for activating the role of families in preventing their children from engaging in morally incorrect practices and achieving self-awareness within the family unit by restructuring parental roles and responsibilities. This involves building emotional and social bonds between parents and their children to create a harmonious family environment, free from conflicts and negative interactions that distort the image of family in the minds of the young.

The statement also highlighted the importance of official institutional attention to social family services, particularly for vulnerable families, deepening the understanding of their role not only in providing financial support but also in equipping them with beneficial knowledge to confront the challenges they face. Furthermore, the statement emphasized the adoption and support of civil and voluntary institutional initiatives aimed at protecting and strengthening the family structure, integrating family dialogues into educational programs and curricula, conducting independent studies, and conducting specialized research in various educational institutions to establish this role theoretically and practically by hosting families to develop a culture of dialogue among them.

The conferees underscored the important role of educational institutions, especially universities, in supporting and fortifying families against ideologies and philosophies that undermine societies, civilizations, and humanity as a whole, whether through curriculum design that shapes student awareness or through scientific studies and research to address all family-related issues.

They stressed the importance of partnerships among various entities related to family and society and the need to find scientific methods to discuss issues concerning society and family. In their communique, they also highlighted the activation of family roles through engaging programs designed to train parents to address contemporary challenges hindering the preservation of family identity and threatening its cohesion.

They called on official media institutions to enhance their role within the scope of social responsibility, adopting media campaigns to raise societal awareness about the importance of preserving family systems and familial bonds. They cautioned about the dangers posed by destructive ideas to solid family structures and unity, urging adherence to religious and moral values and showcasing the importance of family and the need to preserve its cohesion for the stability of communities and nations.

They strongly cautioned against the risks of wars and conflicts affecting families, especially those affecting children, women, the elderly, and persons with disabilities, highlighting the human rights violations they endure during such crises. “This necessitates the international community to enforce international laws that criminalize and penalize perpetrators of these violations and to take serious and prompt action to end armed conflicts and provide urgent humanitarian aid to affected families and civilians,” reads the communiqué.

It underscored the need to dedicate an objective study to the challenges faced by minority families, whether related to identity, integration, coexistence with diverse cultures, or conscious integration into the societies in which they live. In a news conference, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue (DICID), Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al-Nuaimi, announced Qatar’s hosting of an international conference to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the International Year of the Family. The conference, organized by the institute, will take place from October 29–31 of the coming year. — KUNA