Diplomatic corps, Parliamentarians, civil society actors, women’s organizations, disabled community members, media and interfaith leaders at the Iftar

Ambassadors, chargés d’Affaires, and diplomatic representatives along with Parliamentarians, civil society actors, women organizations, disabled community members, media, and interfaith leaders across a variety of faiths called for greater unity, cooperation, and tolerance to strengthen peace and stability in the region.

On March 27th, IPI MENA held its annual “Iftar for Peace” Ramadhan event in conjunction with Al Bayareq Bayda Society, in which the diplomatic corps and civil society members of different ethnicities and religious backgrounds have Iftar (the first meal eaten after sunset to break the fast during Ramadan) together with Muslim fasters.

Opening the event, IPI MENA Senior Director Nejib Friji emphasized the importance of cultivating a spirit of cooperation, locally, regionally, and internationally, to address the pressing challenges of the twenty-first century.

“When we come together across religious boundaries, we transcend the barriers of ignorance and prejudice. We discover the rich tapestry of traditions that enrich our shared human experience,” he stated.

He underscored the critical and practical need for interfaith unity in serving as a powerful antidote to the forces of extremism and intolerance: “By demonstrating that people of different faiths can coexist peacefully and collaborate for the common good, we undermine the narratives of hatred and division that seek to tear us apart.”

Reverend Hani Aziz of the National Evangelical Church, Pastor of Arabic Language Congregation & Al Bayareq Bayda Society, Founder and Chairman, and co-organizer of the event stressed the importance of bringing together in this holy month representatives of different communities, civil society, government officials, and an array of ethnic faiths to promote tolerance, co-existence, and dialogue amid the tense context in the Middle East.