The Shura Council State of Qatar

The Shura Council participated today in the Inter-parliamentary Conference, which was held as part of the 6th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue hosted by Azerbaijan's Baku. The conference will conclude tomorrow Friday. Representing the Shura Council at the conference where HE Mohammed bin Mahdi Al Ahbabi and HE Dr. Mohammed bin Butti Al Abdullah, members of the council.

The parliamentary conference dealt with the role of legislative bodies and best practices in protecting cultural heritage. Parliamentarians discussed their perspectives on this topic, presenting best parliamentary practices for protecting cultural heritage and enhancing efforts to achieve this goal.

HE Al Ahbabi emphasized in his speech during the conference the importance of heritage and culture in uniting societies and preserving their identities, affirming Qatar's interest in enhancing Qatari, Gulf, and Islamic identity and preserving them.

In this context, His Excellency reviewed Qatar's contributions to promoting cultural and religious coexistence through supporting the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations initiative and establishing the Center for Dialogue among Religions in 2008, aiming to promote peaceful coexistence among cultures and acceptance of others.

His Excellency added that Qatar also established the Qatari Committee for the Alliance of Civilizations to highlight the contribution of Arab and Islamic civilization to other civilizations.

Within the same context, His Excellency highlighted the Shura Council's focus on enhancing identity and values through various initiatives that contribute to strengthening national identity among school students, pointing out that the council currently presides over the 17th Ordinary Meeting of the Speakers of Shura Councils, discussing during this session the cultural challenges and the role of legislative councils in preserving Gulf identity.

His Excellency touched on the challenges resulting from global changes and their impact on customs and traditions, pointing to the role of legislative councils and parliaments in protecting these cultural elements through various legislation and initiatives.

Within the framework of parliaments commitment to protecting cultural heritage and social customs, His Excellency focused his speech on several axes, including exploiting gatherings and platforms to know the trends of public opinion and using them in developing policies.

He addressed the challenges arising from globalization and cultural changes, emphasizing the importance of intellectual security and countering ideologies that threaten social fabric, promoting international initiatives such as the Alliance of Civilizations, and supporting dialogue between religions to enhance peaceful coexistence.

The Shura Council delegation participated in the opening session of the forum, inaugurated by HE President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

The forum is organized by the government of Azerbaijan in partnership with UNESCO, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, UN Tourism, and ISESCO.

The conference aims to enhance global peace and security through constructive dialogue, holding several sessions and discussions covering various topics including education, youth engagement in decision-making, climate change, artificial intelligence, protection of cultural heritage, illegal migration, and other related issues.