Shafaq News-Najaf

Najaf, oneof Iraq’s holiest Shiite cities, hosted a conference on Monday calling for therejection of sectarianism and hate speech while promoting coexistence andinterfaith dialogue across the country.

The annualgathering, organized by the Center for Intercultural Dialogue and Democracy,brought together religious leaders, academics, tribal and political figures,and members of several diplomatic missions, including the ambassadors ofFinland and Palestine, Sudan’s chargé d’affaires, Indonesia’s acting envoy, andan official from the Iranian consulate’s cultural office in Najaf.

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“Dialogue isthe true starting point for rejecting sectarianism and hatred,” the center’shead Mohsen Al-Aboudi told Shafaq News, describing Najaf as carrying “a messagebased on communication and acceptance of others as a foundation for peace.”

Al-Aboudiadded that the center seeks to strengthen ties among Iraq’s religious andsocial communities and promote joint efforts aimed at building “a dignifiedlife based on brotherhood from Zakho to al-Faw,” referring to the country’snorthernmost and southernmost cities.

NajafProvincial Council head Hussein Al-Issawi stressed that the city has longpromoted peaceful coexistence, noting that Iraq’s Shiite religious authorityhas repeatedly emphasized equal treatment of all Iraqi communities. He alsodescribed Pope Francis’ 2021 visit to Najaf as “a message of love and peace”and a historic moment for both Iraq and the city.

Meanwhile, ArchimandriteOshagan Gulgulian underlined the shared responsibility toward future generations,calling for closer communication among religious communities and the rejectionof conflict, while highlighting Iraq’s “civilization and history spanningthousands of years.”

Iraq, amultiethnic country of more than 45 million people, is home to a Muslimmajority alongside Christian, Yazidi, Sabean-Mandaean, and other religiouscommunities. Iraq’s constitution recognizes Islam as the state religion whileguaranteeing equality before the law and freedom of worship for all religiousgroups.

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