The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation held a seminar on “Promoting Communication in the Post-Coronavirus World: Strengthening Dialogue between the Islamic World and Other Major Civilizations.”
The Statement of Mr. Hissein Brahim Taha, the OIC Secretary-General, was delivered by Ambassador Tariq Ali Bakhit, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian, Cultural and Social Affairs. He said the seminar would review ways through which countries of the Islamic world could interact with other civilizations on country, culture or other levels.
The seminar was held under resolution No. 1/48-C of the 48th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers. Panelists from different countries participated in the seminar. Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Wahid Al-Arifi, Advisor to the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, Saudi Arabia made a presentation on his country’s experience with the pandemic. Other presentations were made by Professor Muhammad Shafiq, Executive Director of the Brian and Jean Hickey Center for Interfaith Studies and Dialogue, USA, Professor Ma Lirong, SISU Institute of Silk Road Strategy Studies, China, and Professor Hosaka Shuji, President of the Japan Association for Middle East Studies, and Professor Sergei Vorobyev, of HSE University Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, Russia.
The second panel’s members were Ambassador Dr. Mahmud Erol Kilic, Director General of the Research Center for Islamic History, Arts and Culture, (IRCICA), Ms. Nihal Saad, Chief of Cabinet for the UN High Representative of the Alliance of Civilizations at United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and Ms. Florence Gaub, Foresight Advisor, at Council of the European Union.
