This conference entitled ‘Religious Minorities in Muslim Lands: It’s Legal Framework and a Call to Action’ that will be held in Marrakesh, will be held under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed V1, in conjunction with the Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies. The event will be in cooperation with the Ministry of Religious Endowments and Islamic Affairs of the Kingdom of Morocco.
About the Forum for Peace
The Forum for Peace is based in Abu Dhabi under the leadership of its President H.E Shaykh Abdallah Bin Bayyah 2. The Forum started in April 2014 under the patronage of HH Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed the Foreign Minister of UAE. The objectives of the forum is to bring together a conclave of religious scholars, academics, ministers of religions, youth & religious leaders in an inclusive format and approach that clarifies and corrects key concepts used by extremists to justify the actions. In 2014 and 2015 there have been over 650 individuals that have travelled to Abu Dhabi to participate at the Forum which was established with a long term vision in eradicating the extremist narrative through the use of a Primary Narrative that seeks to establish itself through via the sources of Islam, one that is based on the promotion of peace, and human compassion.
In December 2014 the forum in conjunction with Religions for Peace3, the largest interfaith organization in the world held a call to action to denounce violence in the name of religion. Since its inception the forum has held key events, such as training and educating Imams and religious from around the world for example in June 2014 the forum worked with a body of religious leaders from Nigeria so that they were educated and equipped at a religious level to counter extremist religious narratives from Boko Haram. Since this course many of those that participated have gone on to work within their respected communities and Nigerian government to challenge these voices that prey upon the vulnerable. H.E Shaykh Abdallah Bin Bayyah has also recently addressed the leadership summit at the United Nations on how to counter violent extremism, and was highlighted by President Obama in his address to the UN in September 2014. In September 2015 Shaykh Bin Bayyah spoke at the Countering Violent Extremism Summit held at the United Nations followed on by a personal meeting with the current Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-Moon to discuss various mechanisms in the pursuit of peace.
