The Global Council for Tolerance and Peace (GCTP), in cooperation with the Maltese Parliament, held a conference on “Building Tolerance and Peace despite the Current Challenges: The Middle East, North Africa and Europe” under the patronage of the President of the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace, H.E. Ahmed bin Mohamed Al Jarwan, and the Speaker of the Maltese Parliament, H.E. Anglo Farrugia, at the Parliament of Malta, of the Republic of Malta.
In a related context, the President of the Republic of Malta, H.E. Dr. George Vella, received Al Jarwan and the delegation of the Council participating in the “Building Tolerance and Peace” conference at the Presidential Palace in Malta. President Vella praised the efforts of the Council in promoting and spreading the values of tolerance and peace around the world. The Maltese President welcomed Al Jarwan and the delegation participating in the conference, stressing the continued support of his country to the Council and its lofty goals.
The conference, which was held on June 1 and 2, 2023 in the Maltese capital, Valletta, was attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Malta, H.E. Dr. Ian Borg, the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, H.E. Mr. Duarte Pacheco, the Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Malawi, H.E. Mrs. Catherine Hara, and the Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for International organizations affairs in the United Arab Emirates, H.E. Mr. Yaqoub Al Hosani, as well as a number of heads and representatives of states, governments, parliaments, governmental and non-governmental organizations, and relevant educational and cultural institutions.
Al Jarwan delivered the Council’s speech at the opening session, where he started by praising the efforts of the Republic of Malta in supporting the values of tolerance and peace, stressing the importance of the conference, which comes at a time when the world is witnessing unrest and armed conflicts and suffers from the spread of extremism and terrorism.
Al Jarwan said that the time has come for a joint international action that calls for spreading the values of tolerance, dialogue, resolving conflicts by peaceful means, and confronting extremist and terrorist ideas by cultivating the principles of tolerance and peace in the world so that we may reap a future in which we spare our children the scourge of war, and its material, psychological and societal damage, in which peoples can live in security, stability, tolerance, and prosperity.
The conference addresses several themes, the most important of which are: the need for new tools in the international law for peacebuilding, the role of civil society within the current situation in the region: challenges and opportunities, civil society achieving peace and tolerance, building tolerance and peace in the Middle East, North Africa and the Mediterranean region, and the role The European Union as a global player in ensuring peace and tolerance in the region.
At the end of the conference, the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace, the Maltese Parliament, and the participants from various countries of the Middle East, Africa, and Europe adopted the Malta Declaration, which emphasized the importance of building tolerance and peace the face of current conflicts in the Middle East and Europe, acknowledging that diversity is a source of strength and that promoting respect for diversity Pluralism and multiculturalism can contribute to peaceful coexistence, and they also recognized the important role of civil society in promoting the values of tolerance and peace and the challenges the world is facing, including armed conflicts, political instability and humanitarian crises, believing that building sustainable peace is crucial for achieving long-term stability and prosperity.
The declaration also stressed that the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace and the Parliament of Malta will work together on seven main axes. First, promoting dialogue between different cultures and societies. Second, supporting education initiatives that promote tolerance and understanding between different cultures. Third, encouraging negotiation and communication between different cultures to build understanding and empathy. Fourth, condemning all forms of violence, including terrorism, which aim to divide societies and promote hatred. Fifth, celebrating cultural diversity in the Middle East, North Africa and Europe, realizing that difference makes us stronger. Sixth, upholding human rights and efforts to promote and protect them, including the rights of minorities and vulnerable groups. Seventh, developing new tools in international law to help build sustainable peace around the world.
Finally, calling on members of the United Nations Security Council to support the draft resolution submitted by the United Arab Emirates on tolerance, international peace and security aimed at maintaining peace and security.
The conference also witnessed the signing of memorandums of understanding and joint work between the International Parliament for Tolerance and Peace and the parliaments of the Republic of Malawi, Angola, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and São Tomé, with the aim of enhancing cooperation in the areas of support for tolerance and peace at the level of international parliamentary work.
