Under the patronage of HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, the International Conference on “Terrorism and Methods of Tackling It” kicked off in Qatar University (QU) yesterday with the participation of a number of scientists, intellectuals and academics from Qatar and abroad.
The two-day conference organised by the College of Shariah and Islamic Studies (CSIS) is aimed at better understanding the concept of terrorism from a scientific perspective, ensuring separation between science and ideology in the approach of terrorism and shedding light on the intellectual, political, and social dimensions of the issue.
The conference also seeks to develop a strategic plan to dry up the sources of terrorism in order to isolate it and protect the Arab nation and its culture.
Speakers at the opening session, which was attended by HE the Minister for Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs, Dr Issa Saad al-Jaffali al-Nuaimi, stressed that the conference has a special importance in light of the growing phenomenon of extremism, terrorism and “Islamophobia.”
They emphasised the importance of the role being played by elites and educational institutions in facing such issues and challenges.
Qatar University’s president, Dr Hassan Rashid al-Derham, said the conference will explore intellectual, educational and cultural views and experiences so as to give clear visions to activate the tolerant Islamic values in educational methods and curricula, and cultural education.
He also pointed out that the conference would detect problems facing the Arab nation, especially extremism, intolerance, fanaticism, hatred, “Islamophobia” and terrorism issues.
In this context, he noted the importance of capacity building to form a new awareness for the new generation of intellectuals on social security values and the need for peaceful co-existence in human society.
He called on the participants to come up with a plan and a process to be implemented by top scientists, thinkers and researchers known for their moderation to confront the sources of hatred and intolerance.
The First Vice President of Tunisia’s Assembly of the Representatives of the People, Abdelfattah Mourou, stressed the role being played by scientists, thinkers and educational institutions in achieving development and cultural building of the Arab nation.