National Unity and Social Coexistence

Conference
Doha, 2-3 April 2014

National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

National Unity and Social Coexistence

Conference
Doha, 2-3 April 2014

Throughout its extensive history, the peoples of the Arab World have accumulated
diverse approaches to handling ethno-religious pluralism. They have woven thought
patterns that fostered tolerance among them. Through their legal, economic, and
social systems they have accommodated customs and rights that guaranteed cultural
stability and security, as well as internal cohesion and positive interaction with
neighboring nations.
The coexistent societies in the Arab World experienced dignity and strength under
the canopy of Islam. Their cohesion grew thanks to the rights that Islam ensures for
all peoples across the spectrum. Some people persisted to embrace their original
tenets while most continued to use their inherited languages, fortified by their new
knowledge of the Arabic language, the language of the Quran. The descendants of
these peoples, with all their various belief systems, languages, colors, and ethnicities,
succeeded in constructing a dynamic civilization whose influence lasts to this day.
If coexistence, its values and effects, is the salient feature of relationships among
the Arab Worlds various ethno-religious communities, then there is certainly a
strange wind wafting over it in these times of political exclusiveness and the
hushed voices of scholars. The outcome is the emergence of racial and separatist
conflicts and increased periods of sectarian tensions, accompanied by turmoil in
Arab cultural security in general. Perhaps the protection of ethnic and religious
diversity in the Arab World has become a new imperative, considering the need
to bolster these peoples strength, cohesion, harmony, and engagement in human
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National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

civilization. It is crucial for all sentient groups among these peoples to mobilize and
confront radicalism and extremism, and to counter the calls for religious and ethnic
animosity that tend to be based on erroneous readings of doctrinal heritage or due
to ignorance of history and disturbed thinking.
The goal of this conference is to take inventory of current challenges and profound
changes occurring in Arab countries, with the prospect of guiding them to preserve
the historical cohesion of Arab peoples and encouraging a calm dialogue on ethnoreligious plurality. Bridges should be extended between all ethno-religious and
cultural groups in the Arab World. Doctrinal heritage should be reconsidered, along
with an authentic and innovative review that explores how the legacy of coexistence
is understood and how to reap its fruits in the context of current conditions. In
view of the urgency of the matter, this conference seeks to invite a distinguished
team of investigative scholars, academics, politicians, and media persons from
throughout the World.
The Conference on National Unity and Social Coexistence will be held in Doha on
the 2nd and 3rd of April 2014. We are striving to build the conference on dialogue
in order to provide all the invited scholars, academics, thinkers, and media persons
a sufficient platform to discuss the points at hand and present their opinions and
consequent recommendations.

National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

Conference Agenda
Wednesday April 2nd 2014
Morning Session
Registration 9:00 10:00
Opening session
Break

10:00 11:00
11:00 11:30

First session: Protecting religious pluralism and ethnic diversity in the Arab world
11:30 13:30

Moderator Sheikh Rashid Al-Ganoushi

Lunch break

13:30 16:00

National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

Evening Session
Second session: Sharia regulations on societal relations: reconsidering
the juristic heritage 16:00 18:00

Moderator Dr. Ahmad Al - Raysouni

Dr. Husayn Hassan

Break

18:00 18: 15

Third session: contemporary political systems and the societal fabric

18:15 20:15

Dr. Mohamed Ahmed Haqqar

National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

Thursday April 2nd 2014

Fourth session: the Syrian revolution: political or societal conflict?
10:00 12:00
Moderator Dr. Riyadh Hijab






































Break

12:00 12:15

Fifth session: horizons of pluralism in the Arab world 12:15 14:15

Moderator Dr. Jawad Al - Jauhri

Prof.

National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

Speakers, Profiles

National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

Dr. Ghaith Bin Mubarak Al-Kuwari

Islamic Affairs. In addition, he is a member of several councils and
official committees and has represented the state of Qatar in many
international forums. He has made academic contributions in the
fields of Islamic-Islamic dialogue, Islamic-western relations and
cultural security as well as issues relating to human rights, identities
governance, hosted communities and cultural diversity.

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National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

Dr. Rashad Hussain

Dr Hussein is the US envoy to the Organization of the Islamic




































worked as a legislative assistant to the Judicial Committee in the











office of the White House Counsel, where he worked on issues of
national security and modern communication media. He offered
consultation to the US President concerning Islamic issues after he













Hussein works, through his position, on expanding partnerships
between the United States of America and the Islamic world,
especially in the fields of education, health, science and technology.

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National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

Ekmeleddin ihsanoglu
Dr Ihsanoglu is the former secretary-general of the Organization of
Islamic Cooperation. He attained a Doctorate in Philosophy from Ankara



























staff in a number of faculties of science and became the first professor
and founding president of the department of history of sciences in the
University of Istanbul. Dr Ihsanoglu is also the founding Chairman of












He further served as the President of International Union of History









He took serious steps in making the Organization of Islamic Cooperation
an effective organization and participated in steps to enhance international
peace and achieve unity among the members of the Islamic Ummah.
He has written a number of books, articles and research papers in

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National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

Sheikh Rachid Al-Ghannouchi

in Egypt and Syria where his Islamic thought started to take shape.













Parallel to his studies, he became an Islamic activist among Arab and




































books in the fields of public freedoms in the Islamic state, citizenship
rights, women rights, the road to civilization and the right to differ.
His books were translated into a number of foreign languages such as





















led En-Nahda movements victory in the first free elections after the 2011
revolution, but later declined public posts and resumed his dawa activity










Scholars.

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National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

Dr. Nour Ad-Din Al-Khadmi

yielded by the democratic transition after 2011
revolution. He was later appointed to the same
position in the government of Ali Al-Arid in 2013.



















higher education in the Higher Institute of Islamic
Theology and as a fellow professor in the Islamic










academic contributions, articles, research and
studies, and has written articles for several Arabic
and Islamic periodicals and a number of books and
works prepared for publication.

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National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

Sayyed Ali Al-Amin

Sayyed Ali Al-Amin is a Lebanese religious authority. He















































then in Lebanon. Sheikh Al-Amin has presented a number
of academic studies and has hundreds of recordings on


He has participated in an extensive number of seminars
and lectures in different Arab countries and in Europe,
Scandinavia, Australia and America.
Sayyed Ali Al-Amin is considered a revivalist of religion,
political and Islamic thought and a caller to dialogue and
unity between the adherents of different religions. He has






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National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

Father Dr. Peter Madros

in Beit Jala and was then called priest by His Beatitude Patriarch














Anton Bozo in the Birzeit parish; he later became the priest of the
















































































He moved to the frre in Beit Lahm and was appointed as director

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National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

Dr. Ahmed al-Raissoun

Islamic Waqf and the Ummah.

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National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

Sheikh Dr. Muhammad Yusri Ibrahim

Sheikh Dr Ibrahim is the secretary general of the Islamic Legitimate Body of












































He has assumed many academic posts in Egypt. He worked as a researcher








































in the American Open University in Cairo, and finally, head of academic













Institute.













in Jeddah, and a member of several councils of Islamic educational
foundations and bodies. He has published numerous writings in Islamic

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National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

Sheikh Muhammad Al-Hasan ibn Ad-Dadu

the ten modes of recitation from Al-Shatibiyah.
He is also authorized to teach Hadith books such as the authentic collections








































and Education. He has also contributed to the establishment of























and Europe. He has given many lectures and media interviews.

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National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

Dr. Hussein Hamed Hassan

Dr Hussein Hassan received a PhD from the faculty of Sharia
in Al-Azhar University. He has an honorary doctorate from


































Cairo University and Al-Azhar University in Egypt, respectively.
Dr Hussein is a professor in many universities in the Arab and Islamic
worlds. He has assumed various important high posts, heading a number
of universities and serving as an advisor to several presidents. He is the










He has participated in various activities, events and conferences, and has
contributed to the drafting of laws and constitutions in several countries.

























he heads a number of Sharia councils in Islamic banks. Dr. Hussein
has written many books, academic papers and articles in fields such as
banking, financing and Islamic insurance. He is considered a pioneer
in the field of Islamic banking and financial work on the international
level.

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National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

Dr. Mohamed Ahmed Haqqar

Dr. Ahmed Haqqar is a Chadian Islamic thinker. He studied at the Law and









































































































































































































































He wrote many books about the Arabism of Chad, Biblical studies and
evangelism in Chad.
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National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

Dr. Mazen Muwafaq Hashem

California and works as a lecturer at the University of Southern
California. He is the founder of the Center for Civilization Studies in


























the American Sociological Association and a member of the Council












He participates in seminars and scientific conferences in his specialty











has carried out research in several fields including reviews on Islamic


















North America.

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National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

Dr. Ahmad Mahmoud Ajaj

studies and research.





















He works as a media, legal, and political consultant in the Saudi Arabian
Embassy in London and has participated in several conferences and
given lectures at Chatham House on water issues, border disputes,
human rights, and Islam. He has published many papers in the field of
the international law such as "Armed humanitarian intervention and the

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National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

Dr. Saud Nimah Al-Mawla

psychology from the College of Education at the Lebanese University












philosophy and psychology from the College of Education at the Lebanese












in advanced studies in the social and political history of Arab countries








































































































































and intellectual studies. He has authored several books and publications in the










Islamic unity, and Islamic groups. He is one of the founders of the Permanent

















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National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

Dr. Riyad Farid Hijab

He received his PhD in Agricultural Engineering. He held many positions














































Agriculture in Adel Safars Cabinet, formed in April 2011. He served as




























and left Syria with his family to Jordan to declare himself a humble soldier
in the Syrian revolution.

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National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

SHEIKH AHMED MUAZ AL-KHATIB

He studied applied geophysics and spent six years working for the










received a diploma in political sciences and international relations



























































published many studies in Islamic Sharia and civilization, some of which
have been translated into Bosnian, English, Dutch and Persian.
He has given lectures at Clingendael institute of international relations in


































and teaching in Syria; and since 2008, from administering any
civil society in Syria. He has been detained on several occasions
for calling for public freedoms and defending human rights.

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National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

MR. GEORGE SABRA

in educational technology systems. Since then he has worked in











programs, and he has made several contributions to childrens literature.













sentenced to eight years in prison by the Supreme State Security Court
for his membership in the Syrian Peoples Democratic Party . He spent











He played a part in some activities and events of the revolution in













the revolution on 10th April, 2011, and for the second time on




























Syrian National Council, of which he was elected president in November
2012. He is still in office.

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National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

DR. ABDULBASET SIEDA

Dr Sieda earned a Ph.D. from the University of Damascus Department



























where he has completed his studies in the history of ancient civilizations
and Semitic languages. Dr Sieda is currently a teacher and researcher.










and abroad, before later devoting himself to teaching and research, in
addition to being involved in activities in civil society organizations.
He has participated in many national activities and media programs
about Syria before the revolution and has written a number of articles
about the reality in Syria and the limited opportunities of Syrian youths.















contributed to pro-revolution activities such as demonstrations, gatherings
and press conferences. Dr Sieda also played a part in establishing the Syrian
National Council in October 2011 and became its president in June 2012. He
has also participated in scientific conferences in the field of his specialty and
in many meetings about Syria both before and after the revolution. He has a
number of publications.

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National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

Dr. Jawad al-Jawhar

Dr. Jawad al-Jawhari is an Islamic thinker and academic of Iranian origin.
He studied at the Imam Sadiq University in Iran then he moved to the












from the University of Leeds, and a PhD in Law from Oxford University.
He worked at the Department of Law at Oxford Brookes University and






He is currently serving as an International Legal Advisor and Chairman of
the International Association of Dialogue among Legal Systems, Oxford.
He wrote many books about Islam and Judaism, Islam and Christianity, an
English translation of the meanings of the Noble Quran, a translation of

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National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

Dr. Hassan Abdullah Al-Turabi

caretaker government led by President Omar Al-Bashir was appointed, Al










includes representatives from 45 Arab and Islamic countries. He was elected























as corruption, Shura , and freedoms. He has also written a number of books

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National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

Dr. Sulayman Zaghidoor

He began his career as a photographer for the Pilote and Libration
newspapers and then worked as a writer and reporter for several daily












Le Nouvel Observateur. He was appointed as a lecturer of political

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National Unity and Social Coexistence Conference

Professor Emeritus P.S. van Koningsveld

long period in Islamic legislation and religious polemic and disputations
in west Islamic world.























thought and the formation of western islam
- Islamic reformism and Christianity: a critical reading of the works of

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