Patronized by Minister of Government Communications Dr. Muhannad Al-Mubaidin, the Catholic Center for Studies and Media (CCSM) in Jordan held a conference in cooperation with SGP-Holland titled, "Artificial Intelligence for Peace and Human Dignity" on Monday, August 5, 2024.

In the opening session, moderated by journalist Ala' Al-Majali, Minister of Government Communications Dr. Muhannad Al-Mubaidin noted in his address that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an important cognitive weapon with regards to generating information, to facilitating researchers' access to data that helps them serve their communities, as well as to conducting research that contributes to promoting human rights and developing communities.  Consequently, from this premise emerges the major role of the educational institutions which includes schools and universities as well as their ability to proceed hand-in-hand with modernization and development.

The minister thanked the CCSM for its important, successful, and systematic role in enhancing the culture of interfaith dialogue, encouraging religious tourism to Jordan, and holding conferences that seek answers to major intellectual and moral challenges. He said: "We in Jordan are proud of the brotherhood that unites Muslims and Christians, in a country based on respect, brotherhood and harmony, which are the foundations that were formulated by the Hashemites, starting with Sharif Al-Hussein Ibn Ali, and proceeding to His Majesty King Abdullah II, who considers defending the rights of Muslims and Christians in Jerusalem a Hashemite duty and legacy."

 He pointed out that His Majesty the King has always stressed, at every Arab or international forum, the need to find a just solution to the Palestinian issue based on the two-state solution, leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. He also conveyed a message of support for the steadfastness of the people of Gaza who are being subjected to a raging war by the Israeli occupation. He continued by stressing the need for the Western media to play a greater role in shedding light on the Israeli occupation’s massacres in Gaza, which do not require AI to unveil.

For his part, CCSM Director Fr. Dr. Rif'at Bader lauded the Jordanian efforts which are conducted with Hashemite Jordanian intelligence in various fields, especially at the technological level. He said, "As we mark the silver jubilee of His Majesty King Abdullah II's accession to the throne, we reflect on the great efforts undertaken over the past 25 years with regards to introducing technological developments to all governmental and educational institutions and to homes across the country, so that Jordan would proceed with firm, confident, and pioneering steps in using modern technologies for the common good, after having presented to the world noble humanitarian and dialogue initiatives based on harmony and natural intelligence."

Fr. Bader pointed out that the choice of the title of this conference emerged due to the increasing influence of AI in the military field, especially with regards to the fierce war that the afflicted Gaza Strip has been suffering from for more than 10 months, during which modern technologies are being used to kill and displace people in violation of all religious teachings, moral values, international covenants and international appeals. Fr. Bader said: "We wanted this conference to convey a humanitarian trend reminiscent of the role of technology and its message in making peace, in preserving human dignity, and that we do not want these modern means to be in the hands of evil and violence, as well as in the hands of killing and abusing of people, while stressing that true intelligence must serve people."

In his address, Fr. Bader referred to a historic event represented by the participation of Pope Francis, the first by a Pontiff, in the G-7 Summit, last June, where His Holiness the Pope addressed an important appeal to the leaders of countries, urging them to focus on respecting human dignity when developing and using artificial intelligence. He also warned of the dangers of transforming human relations into mere algorithms, due to this technology. Continuing his address, he referred to the efforts being made in this regard, especially  the" Rome Call" for AI ethics, which is a global initiative launched by the Vatican's Pontifical Academy for Life in association with global technology companies, whereby since its launching it was joined by UN and international organizations, as well as by religious institutions, and several research centers and universities. This call has approved six ethical principles for AI, namely transparency and interpretability, comprehensiveness, responsibility, neutrality, reliability, security and privacy.

Guest of honor in the conference, Knight of the Holy Sepulcher Mr. Majdi Bader, who came from Chicago, delivered an address in which he expressed his pride in the cooperation prevailing between him and the Arab Catholic community in Chicago on the one hand and the CCSM on the other which has become a landmark in the Jordanian society since the CCSM's establishment 12 years ago, at a time when it enjoys good relations with all official and civil departments based on cooperation and solidarity aimed at highlighting everything that is positive, bright, and beautiful in our beloved country.

Mr. Bader pointed out that during his current visit, he was able to visit several religious, tourist, and archaeological sites. He also extended his thanks to all the concerned ministries, and to everyone who works to make dear Jordan look in the most beautiful image, not only for visitors and tourists, but also for pilgrims who come from every direction, with the intention to live a distinctive spiritual experience in the Holy Land of Jordan.

During the opening session, the CCSM screened a documentary film that showed the dangers that artificial intelligence might cause and become destructive rather than being a servant of human dignity, focusing on its uses in the war on Gaza where people are being killed in destructive and deadly ways.

Two sessions were held. The first session was titled, "How did we get to AI?" and moderated by Dr. Ruba Zaidan during which Dutch Prof. Dr. Marc De Vries talked about “Artificial Intelligence: A Christian Perspective on its Nature and Ethics", and Mr. Husam Hourani from Orange Company talked about “The Astounding Developments in Artificial Intelligence” and Ms. Lama Arabiyat from the Ministry of Digital Economy talked about “The National Charter of the Morals of Artificial  Intelligence”.

The second session was titled, "Artificial Intelligence and Peace" and moderated by specialist in business entrepreneurship Arin Bsharat. During the session, Dr. Paul Hike, who works at the University of Jordan talked about “A Review of Pope Francis' Messages to Media and the G-7 Summit”, while Dr Jamal Shalabi, a specialist in political affairs, talked about “The Possible Peace, the Aspired Peace, and Artificial Intelligence”, while journalist Ala' Bushnaq talked about "Relevance of Fake News Using Artificial Intelligence".

The conference sessions--in which Apostolic Nuncio to Jordan Archbishop Giovanni Pietro Dal Toso participated, in addition to a number of representatives of Christian and Islamic religious institutions and departments, media specialists and journalists, technology specialists, as well as students from the American University of Madaba, Yarmouk University, and Tafila Technical University--covered constructive and fruitful discussion between lecturers and participants.

At the end of the conference, participants recommended the need to launch a societal and ethical charter that enhances commitment to common human values, especially in the field of artificial intelligence, because the speed of transformations in digital age brings with it new challenges to individual and collective ethics.

The participants in the cinference also stressed the need to place human beings and their dignity at the center of technical developments, so that artificial intelligence and its tools would not serve political goals or economic profit. They also underlined the importance of intensifying educational and media awareness efforts covering individuals and institutions regarding raising generations on the use of social media to serve goodness, beauty, and kindness.

The conference participants conveyed greetings to His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al-Hussein marking the silver jubilee of his accession to the throne, and commended the 30^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Jordan and the Holy See which are based on friendship, affection and the promotion of noble human values ​​in the world. They also extended well wishes  to His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein Ibn Abdullah II and Princess Rajwa Al-Hussein on the birth of Princess Iman Bint Al Hussein, asking the Almighty God to grant her health and to protect her in His care with her parents and the Hashemite family.