Speaking at his press briefing on the 29th International Islamic Unity Conference, Secretary General of the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought, Ayatollah Mohsen Araki announced that the theme of this year’s conference would be 'Muslim World’s Current Crises’, to be held on 27-29 December, the auspicious occasion of the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) birthday, which marks the Muslim Unity Week.
“About 300 prominent Muslim figures and scholars from 70 countries have so far announced their participation in this year’s conference. Some 300 Iranian figures from various fields have been also invited,” he said.
According to him, there would be 12 specialized committees discussing different themes including Muslim world’s conditions today, resistance movement scholars, women and family, youths, academics, sciences and technology, etc.
He also announced that a special program has been planned to clarify the messages of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s second letter to Western youth.
He noted that the current situation in the world will make this year’s conference greatly different from the previous years, adding “this year, the Islamic Unity Conference will be held in an atmosphere where we are witnessing intellectual, political, military and media wars being waged against people. One of such wars is the tragic incident in Nigeria, which we have called on all international communities to pursue in earnest.”
Ayat. Araki added that Sheikh Zakzaky and his followers had not committed any crime to deserve such retaliation, voicing his shock and dismay with the silence of human rights mechanisms toward this atrocity.
He then referred to the various characteristics of this year’s conference, adding “about 130 prominent figures of the Islamic World will be attending the conference for the first time. Also, we have adopted a pragmatic approach for this year’s conference, meaning we will make every effort to bring the unity of which we speak into the reality.”
Ayat. Araki further discussed the role of certain media such as Al Jazeera, Al Arabiya or the BBC in feeding extremist and Takfiri movements by calling ISIL an ‘Islamic State’ or considering the war in Iraq and Syria as a conflict among Shia and Sunnis, calling on respectable and sympathetic media to expose and criticize them.
The 29th International Islamic Unity Conference will be inaugurated at the Islamic Summit Hall in Tehran on Sunday, Dec. 27. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is scheduled to address the opening ceremony.
MS/3006792