TUNIS — The King Abdullah International Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID) is launching the annual meeting of the Steering Committee of the Interfaith Dialogue and Cooperation Platform (IPDC), on Tuesday in Tunisia. The meeting will be held with the participation of an elite group of religious leaders, actors in the field of dialogue and peacebuilding, and representatives of organizations with religious values in Tunisia, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt. It is also being held in exceptional circumstances experienced by many countries in the region, which impose a fundamental role on religious leaders and dialogue actors to enhance the response of their local communities to confront challenges that negatively affect societal cohesion and the values of coexistence. KAICIID explained that the meeting will discuss the strategic action plan for the Arab region for 2024 and 2025, which aims to enhance dialogue and cooperation between followers of religions and support peace and coexistence efforts in the region, the best ways to support the efforts of religious leaders to alleviate the impact of the successive crises witnessed by the region. A side event will also be organized to showcase the dialogue projects supported by KAICIID by local partners since 2020, with the aim of evaluating the impact of these projects and discussing future opportunities for cooperation. The program includes KAICIID partners presenting five distinct local initiatives within the "Dialogue Projects in the Arab Region" program. These initiatives include artistic, awareness-raising, and training projects that aim to build community capacities and provide spaces for dialogue between followers of religions and cultures. It also focuses on combating hate speech, empowering youth, enhancing community cohesion, reducing violent extremism, and protecting heritage and religious sites in cooperation with religious leaders, policymakers, and youth. This meeting comes within the framework of KAICIID's ongoing efforts to promote dialogue between followers of various religions and cultures and to support initiatives that contribute to building cohesive societies governed by values of tolerance and peace.
