Bishop Ermia at “Extremism and its negative impact on the future of Arab cultural heritage” conference:”God wants people to cooperate and live together in benefaction and devotion”

In his speech at the conference entitled “Extremism and its negative impact on the future of Arab cultural heritage” held jointly by Al-Azhar and the General Secretariat of Arab States League,on Monday morning, December 4, 2017, at Al-Azhar Conference Center in Nasr City, His Eminence Bishop Ermia, General Bishop and Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center, stressed that the principles of coexistence must include respect for religious diversity, intellectual pluralism and human rights and that our religious education must include examples of peaceful coexistence and non-superiority.

His Eminence, Bishop Ermia, added that God wants people to cooperate and live together in benefaction and devotion and justice.

He stressed that religions call for acceptance of others, coexistence, acquaintance and refusal to terrorize man, even if it is a joke, as in Islam. He pointed out that Jesus dealt with all religious communities, treated all people, and commended love to all.

He explained that Judaism stipulated accepting the stranger and not harassing him, stressing the need to instill love and acceptance of the other to uplift him, and respect human beings by acting not by words, because speaking does not achieve anything.

It should be noted that the conference will hold on its first day workshops that will include a number of topics, including: “The components of our cultural heritage and its impact on facing extremist ideology and consolidating the identity of the society” and “the role of official institutions and civil society organizations in facing extremism and terrorism.”

The sessions were headed by a number of public and cultural figures, including Dr. Mostafa El-Fekki, Director of Bibliotheca Alexandrina, and Dr. Abbas Shoman, Deputy of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif.

The conference was attended by representatives of the countries members of the Arab States League, Arab regional and international organizations, civil society organizations concerned, diplomats and a number of foreign ambassadors.

The conference comes in line with the recommendations of the final communiqué issued on the Arab Cultural Heritage Day celebration held on 26 February at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Arab States League.

This conference is the first of the International Commission for Preservation of the Historical Heritage of Humanity, which was established under the umbrella of the Secretariat by a proposal of the Arab Parliament.