QNA/Geneva
The State of Qatar has confirmed its guarantee of freedom of religion or belief of non-Muslims by establishing buildings for worship such as the Religious Complex, widely known as “Church City”.
It also confirmed that it had strengthened constitutional protection of freedom of religion or belief by adopting several legislations and establishing many institutions at both government and non-governmental level, including Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue which was set up in 2008, with the aim of promoting and spreading the culture of dialogue, acceptance of others and peaceful coexistence of different religions.
This came in a speech delivered yesterday by HE the Director of the Human Rights Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Khalid bin Jassim al-Thani, at the 28th session of the Human Rights Council (interactive dialogue with the special rapporteur on religion or belief) in Geneva.
He added thatQatar had continued hosting international conferences and forums on human rights issues and the promotion of a culture of peace, where the state hosts the annual Conference on interfaith dialogue “.
The previous conferences had discussed topics such as the role of religions in human civilisation; role of religion in building human and spiritual values and world peace; religious values and respect for life and human solidarity; role of religion in the upbringing of generations; social media and interfaith dialogue; and role of youth in promoting the values of dialogue, he noted. He also said that Qatar annually hosted the the US-Islamic World Forum.
It also hosted the Fourth United Nations Forum of Alliance of Civilisations in 2011. It also hosted in March last year the executive meeting of the Istanbul Initiative 16/18 entitled “promoting religious freedom through co-operation among religions”.
Qatar has underlined that the promotion and protection of the rights of persons with disabilities in accordance with the rights-based approach is among the priorities of the state policy and where the promotion and protection of human rights is a strategic choice, as was emphasised in the Qatar National Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy (2011-2016).
This came in Qatar’s speech delivered in Geneva yesterday by the researcher in the Human Rights Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Noemi al-Hajri, at the 28th session of the Human Rights Council Regulation (interactive dialogue with the special rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities).
