THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS STARTS THIS MORNING

KUALA LUMPUR, May 7 (Bernama) — The International Conference of Religious Leaders 2024 kicks off this morning at the Sunway Resort Hotel, Petaling Jaya, attracting around 2,000 religious and intellectual figures from 57 countries.

The event is considered the premier international conference of religious leaders hosted by the Asian continent and will be chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the presence of the Secretary General of the Muslim World League (MWL) and Chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars. , Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Abdulkarim Al-Issa.

In his foreword to the book of the event, Anwar said that the theme of the meeting, “Unity within Diversity”, is of utmost importance as it is one of the most pressing issues today, with the spirit of the times marked by dissonance , discord and division.

“Despite the progress of globalization over the past half century and the ubiquitous presence of the Internet, we are witnessing growing rifts in society. In fact, not a day goes by that we don’t hear of communal, religious or political conflict anywhere in the world,” he said.

In this regard, Anwar stated that honest introspection of past shortcomings is the only way forward, while socio-economic challenges, which are the roots of current discontent, must be addressed seriously, fairly and equitably.

The Prime Minister said Anwar said all leaders have a moral obligation to act by bridging the existing cracks in societies through universal and egalitarian values, and that parochialism must give way to progressiveness.

“We must transcend superficial differences such as the color of our skin, the language we speak and the religion we practice,” he said, adding that true leadership lies in the ability to see beyond these differences.

Anwar is also optimistic that Malaysia’s diverse social network will provide the right backdrop for the conference on understanding and unity.

The one-day event will be followed tomorrow (Wednesday) by the Conference of Asian Religious Scholars 2024 at the Mandarin Oriental in the capital.

Both events are organized by the Office of the Minister of the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) and the Ministry of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) in collaboration with MWL.

— BERNAMA

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