Al-Liqa’ Center for Religious and Heritage Studies in the Holy Land
Celebrates the Silver Jubilee 1982-2007
Prof. Thiab Ayyoush
Vice President - Al-Liqa’s Board of Trustees
In the Name of God
The Merciful the Benevolent
We welcome you to this distinguished Silver Jubilee of Al-Liqa’ Center celebrations. Your presence is a special tribute to the founders of Al-Liqa’ Center, its Board of Trustees, administrators, staff and friends.
The Center has taken upon itself in the midest of polarized and controversial concepts such as “the clash of civilization”, to take up a firm stand against such concepts and to support, insteads the dialog of civilizations and religious.
When the subject of rebuilding the mutual confidence between the Arab and Muslim world and the West was put forth, the Center’s insisted that rebuilding requires the respect of the rights of our people and our nation, the achievement of peace and justice and not to support financially and morally those who occupy the Arab land or those who imposes on its land dangerous military bases and causing in the process all kinds of evil things.
Al-Liqa’ was the first of its kind in the Arab nation in the area of interfaith dialogue. The success of Al-Liqa’s experience encouraged others to follow suit in Lebanon, Cairo, Amman, etc. we are proud of this achievement.
Al-Liqa’ was a pioneer in tackling the problems of the nation. For example it was the first to discuss the war in Iraq and its unethical impact Al-Liqa’, likewise, organized celebrations of religious feasts; and it did as well protests and boycotts of these feasts when the Israeli occupation was involved.
The Silver Jubilee of Al-Liqa’ is characterized by the following:
1. Al-Liqa’ stress on national partnership and the rejection of the concepts of “majority” and “minority”.
2. Al-Liqa’s activities included international conferences, panels, regional and local conferences, panels, regional and local conferences. The last of which Al-Liqa’s participation in the Jerusalem Forum in Istanbul in Turkey, 14-17 November 2007.
3. Al-Liqa’ helped in the area of a unified national action, held brainstorming sessions and helped to familiarize those who took part in the Madrid negotiations.
4. Al-Liqa’ Center comprises a committed groups of Academic founders, and members and friends who carried the flames of national unity, objectivity and credibility. And Al-Liqa’ continued faithfull to its ideals and to its authentic religious and heritage thought.
5. Al-Liqa’s publications: studies, researches, proceeding of conferences are the focus and basic references to researchers students and those seeking knowledge.
In conclusion, I would like to thank H.B. Patriarch Sabbah, President of the Board of Trustees of Al-Liqa’, for his continuous support.
I would like as well to thank a founder of Al-Liqa’ H.B. Lutfi Lahham. Many thanks for Dr. Geries S. Khoury and the members of Al-Liqa’s Board of Trustees for their commitment to the Center.