The Antonine Technical Institute in Dekwaneh and the Episcopal Committee for Christian-Muslim Dialogue organized a meeting on the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together at the institute's campus in Dekwaneh. The meeting was attended by His Excellency Bishop Semaan Atallah, Monsignor Abdo Bou Kasm, President of the Catholic Media Center, and Father Bechara Elia, General Administrator of the Maronite Antonine Order, representing His Excellency Bishop Charles Mrad, President of the Episcopal Committee for Christian-Muslim Dialogue; Sheikh Amer Zeineddine, representative of the Sheikh Aql of the Unitarian Druze Community; Dr. Sami Abi El-Muna; Sheikh Ali Al-Hussein, representing the Sunni community in Lebanon; Sheikh Ahmed Al-Laqis, representing the Mufti of Byblos; Sheikh Ghassan Al-Laqis; Dr. Hani Khader, representative of the Egyptian Ambassador Dr. Alaa Moussa; Dr. Abdullah Al-Asousi, the Kuwaiti Cultural Attaché representing the Kuwaiti Ambassador to Lebanon; His Eminence Sheikh Sami Abu Diab; Mr. Elie Al-Sarghani, President of the Orient Club for Religious Dialogue; Father Majed Maroun, Director of the Antonine University in Majdalaya; Mr. Charbel Qabalan, Advisor to the President of the Arab Union for Volunteering; the President of the Maronite General Council, Engineer Michel Matta; as well as diplomatic, security, political, media, and social figures.
At the conclusion of the meeting, they issued the following recommendations:
Recommendations of the meeting held on the first of February 2024 at the Antonine Technical Institute,
Following the meeting hosted on Thursday, February 1, 2024, by the Antonine Technical Institute and various spiritual, political, and diplomatic references, including the Christian Media Dialogue Committee, to celebrate the fourth anniversary of the issuance of the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together, the following recommendations were issued:
First: The necessity of adopting constructive and frank fraternal dialogue among all components of the Lebanese Islamic and Christian sects to affirm commitment to human and religious values and respect for the format of living together, so that peace may return to Lebanon and the world and reconciliation among the peoples of the earth.
Second: Considering the Document on Human Fraternity as a roadmap for making peace between nations and peoples, building it on truth, freedom, justice, respect for the other, promoting dialogue, and rejecting wars and conflicts to ensure human dignity and rights and protect nature and the environment.
Third: Inviting spiritual, political, and constitutional authorities, people of goodwill, and intellectuals to detail what was mentioned in this document with practical initiatives, in the creation of which all those who work for the service of the common good and citizenship participate.
Fourth: Urging all educational, academic, and university institutions, cultural centers, and associations concerned with just human issues to raise their members according to the values of fraternity and to include the contents of this document in their activities with the aim of promoting love and building a good citizen and a better society.
Fifth: Expressing condemnation of the ongoing attacks on our people in southern Lebanon, Gaza, Palestine, and the Holy Land, and expressing regret over the silence of the international community regarding these attacks and the wars and massacres taking place here and there, which do not align with the principles of this document signed on February 4, 2021, by His Holiness Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed El-Tayeb, and which has been approved and adopted by many peace-loving people.
Sixth: The participants agreed on the necessity, inevitability, and priority of electing a President for the Lebanese Republic as soon as possible, due to its importance for the completion and regularity of the institutions.
In conclusion, commemorative plaques were distributed to the attendees, along with a book about the document titled "The Document on Human Fraternity: An Interpretive Reading" by Father Bechara Elia, General Administrator of the Maronite Antonine Order, followed by the opening of an Arabic calligraphy exhibition.
