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AMMAN — HRH Prince El Hassan, chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies, on Sunday met with a high-level delegation of parliamentarians and members of the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (IAO) at Basman Palace.
In his opening address, Prince El Hassan welcomed the participating delegations and parliamentarians from 13 countries, stressing the significance of convening such a meeting amid the current circumstances in the Arab Mashreq, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.
“The evolving geopolitical landscape requires revisiting the concepts of identity, borders and shared cultures, in a way that reinforces societal resilience and bolsters communities’ capacity to address current and future challenges,” the prince said.
He said that Eastern Christianity is an integral component of the region’s heritage, adding that the future of the Mashreq is shaped by three key pillars — land, identities and migration, warning that the persistence of injustice and the absence of fairness create fertile ground for extremism.
Prince Hassan also stressed that peace-building starts with acknowledging others and respecting differences, noting that inclusive, knowledge-based dialogue is essential to safeguarding the region’s social fabric.
He highlighted that protecting human dignity is the true foundation of stability, and that dialogue among all segments of society is a necessity dictated by the current era and the imperatives of human security.
The delegates expressed their appreciation for Jordan’s role, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah, in promoting mutual understanding among religions and peoples.
They also commended the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to safeguard the Christian presence in the region and to uphold the values of coexistence.
The meeting concluded by highlighting the importance of nurturing shared values among the peoples of the Arab Mashreq, safeguarding the region’s historic Christian presence, and promoting constructive dialogue as a vital path towards a more stable, just and compassionate future for all.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of IAO conference in Jordan, providing a “rich” spiritual and cultural experience that blends faith, history and humanitarian diplomacy, underscoring the Kingdom’s pioneering role as a land of peace and interfaith harmony.
