"Strengthening Brotherhood Through Art and Culture"

With an initiative taken by the Catholic Center for Studies and Media (CCSM) in Jordan, in cooperation with Caritas Jordan, and in the presence of a number of ambassadors, Parliament deputies, Christian and Muslim clergymen, as well as directors of intellectual, cultural, and humanitarian institutions in the Kingdom, a seminar has been held marking the World Interfaith Harmony Week (February 1) and the International Day of Human Fraternity (February 4) as both of them are endorsed by the United Nations.  The World Interfaith Harmony Week is a Jordanian initiative launched in 2010 while the International Day of Human Fraternity  is a Saudi-UAE-Bahraini-Egyptian initiative. This year marks the third anniversary of the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together signed by Pope Francis and Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb in Abu Dhabi and coincides with the opening of the Holy See Nunciature in Abu Dhabi.

This seminar titled, "Strengthening Brotherhood Through Art and Culture" was held in our beloved capital Amman. Humans are created equal. They can promote brotherhood and water its tree through sublime initiatives that use the different forms of art and culture in order to serve harmony and brotherhood, as well as to strengthen the sapling of friendship among human beings who are equal in dignity, and are in the worship to the One God, the Creator, and the Lover of all without exception. The addresses quoted the Document on Human Fraternity as stating that "We call upon intellectuals, philosophers, religious figures, artists, media professionals and men and women of culture in every part of the world, to rediscover the values of peace, justice, goodness, beauty, human fraternity and coexistence in order to confirm the importance of these values as anchors of salvation for all, and to promote them everywhere." Art, culture, music and sports unite the world, promote the values ​​of brotherhood, cooperation and partnerships, and consider the other as a partner, a brother and a companion on the trail, not an enemy or a sworn adversary. Art, culture, music, and sports unite the world, promote the values ​​of brotherhood, cooperation and partnerships, and consider the others as partners,  brother and  companions in life, rather than enemies or adversaries.

We plead with the Almighty God, Who united humans in the face of  pain and will unite them in the hope that normal life will be restored, to heal all the Corona-infected people so that there will be equality in the delivery of vaccines and medicines to all people. Humanity is able to unite and fraternize with the values ​​of beauty, kindness and goodness, through joint artistic and cultural works. The CCSM and Caritas Jordan continue--through permanent partnership in the media, art, culture and humanitarian work--to encourage every initiative that would bring people closer as well as to enhance understanding, cooperation, and fraternity in the service of humans and humanity.

While we mark the World Interfaith Harmony Week and the International Day of Human Fraternity every year, we call for the unification of efforts so that every year a topic will be agreed upon as the CCSM did this year and initiated  the title, "Strengthening Brotherhood Through Art and Culture" so that it would serve as a good start for the coming years, with the support all the parties that mark this season of harmony, by proposing a specific theme for every year. Sincere cordiality and sentiments of human brotherhood are  extended to all.

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