peace

Let me start with the traditional greeting of Islam: peace be upon you.

I welcome the opportunity to engage in this conversation, and I am glad to think global readers are interested in Islam, a religion shared and cherished by millions of men and women around the world. I hope that this exercise challenges perceptions that Muslims are somehow different…strange…a breed apart. The other.

[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhuhOP3kVoA]]

Part 1:

(The Jordan Times, By Rana Awwad - Davos) A "peaceline" that pumps much-needed tranquility to conflict-ridden regions and brings along advancement, prosperity and growth stands as a critical tool to re-build trust and provide for better lives for generations to come.

This was Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah's message to 800 top delegates meeting at the World Economic Forum (WEF).

(Royal Hashemite Court, Media & Communication Directorate - Amman) Their Majesties King Abdullah and Queen Rania on Monday met with a delegation of US congressional aides and reviewed the situation in the Middle East, efforts to push the peace process forward and bilateral cooperation.  

King Abdullah underlined the significance of a just and permanent peace settlement to the Middle East conflict, saying the region will continue to suffer from tension and instability as long as such a solution is not reached. 

(Office of Her Majesty, Press Department - Amman) In recognition of his efforts in prompting peace and inter-religious dialogue between faiths, His Majesty King Abdullah II, on Wednesday, 16th of November, was awarded the first Pope John Paul II Peace Prize at an international event in Washington DC honoring the late Pontiff.

Speaking in a televised message aired during the ceremony, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah, said: “…even if I am not there in person, I feel the connection between us. Because community is not defined by proximity. It stems from the values we share.”

(As it appeared in the Huffington Post)

Ironic. The peace conference, that brought me to South Africa, has been postponed.

A gathering billed to bring people together... that symbolized the power of dialogue and intercultural understanding... that was to be a medium for solutions to ongoing conflicts around the world has, instead, polarized opinions, fuelled frustration, and caused divisions.