There is still a month left until the beginning of the 35th International Islamic Unity Conference, and during the last 20 days, in addition to unveiling the poster of this conference, the Secretariat of the 35th International Islamic Unity Conference started working and its call for articles was published.
For the second time, the World Forum for the Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought is holding the conference in a web-based and virtual way.
One of the differences between this year’s conference and last year’s conference is that in the last year the topic was presented in one axis and entitled “Islamic Cooperation in Facing Calamities and Disasters” focusing on the outbreak of Coronavirus, but in this year, thinkers and enthusiasts can present their papers in eight axes. One of these axes also includes eight topics in which each researcher can submit one or more articles on 64 topics.
The Main Subject of the 35th Islamic Unity Conference
Islamic Unity, Peace and Avoidance of Division and Conflict in the Islamic World
The first focus of this conference is Just War and Just Peace, which includes topics such as the jurisprudential and moral study of the use of weapons of mass destruction and nuclear weapons, the rights and duties of civilians and fighters in war from the perspective of Islamic jurisprudence, law and ethics, and the occupation of Islamic lands and Muslim’s responsibility in their liberation.
Islamic Brotherhood and Countering Terrorism is the second axis of the articles which include governmental terrorism and international treaties to counter it, suicide operations, different readings and actions in contemporary sects and currents in the Islamic world, as well as the dignity of the human soul from the perspective of Islamic religions and the difference between terrorism and being mahdur al-dam in Islamic punishment.
The third axis is Religious Freethinking, Acceptance of Denominational Ijtihad and Confronting Takfir and Extremism.
The fourth axis is Islamic Empathy and Sympathy and Avoidance of Tensions and Conflicts; And the fifth axis includes Mutual Respect between Islamic Denominations, Observance of the Etiquettes of Difference and Avoidance of Quarrels, Desecration and Insults. The sixth to eighth axes also include Explaining the Unified Islamic Nation and Islamic Countries Union and Reviewing and Analyzing the Proposed Model, Palestine and Islamic Resistance, as well as The Honoring Ceremony of Ayatollah Taskhiri. Those who are interested in the details of the topics of the articles can refer to the information website of the 35th International Islamic Unity Conference.
Inviting Hundreds of Thinkers from 65 Countries
Mehdi Aghamohammad, Chief of the Headquarter for the 35th International Islamic Unity Conference, presented a report on the planned programs for this year’s conference and told IRNA: “We have sent invitations to 65 countries to submit videos of their lectures to attend the conference, which are being received.”
He added: “This year, we tried to involve thinkers from all geographical regions such as South America, Africa, Southeast Asia, Central Asia and the Caucasus, and these lectures are scheduled to be uploaded in three languages in cyberspace at www.iuc.taqrib.ir after editing.
Aghamohammad continued: “This conference has two scientific and executive sections. In the executive section, the workgroups of content and national information, content and international information, editing and production, and media and advertising do their activities. In the various workgroups and meetings that have taken place so far, we have had 64 executive enactments.”
Referring to the first experience of the Unity Conference, which was held in the form of a webinar last year, he said: “The 34th International Islamic Unity Conference due to the spread of the Corona virus was held in the form of webinars with the initiation of Hujjat-ul-Islam wal-Muslimin Dr. Hamid Shahriari, Secretary General of the World Forum for the Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought and the head of conference. It was a good experience, and this year we will use the same experiences to make the 35th conference better.
Aghamohammad announced that the opening and closing ceremonies of this year’s conference will be broadcasted live from cyberspace and the website of the World Forum for the Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought and said: “The most important issue in this regard is providing official pages for the World Forum for the Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought so that we can communicate with the audience in the Islamic World through seven platforms of Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Telegram, YouTube, WhatsApp and Aparat.”
“We are the Ummah of the Messenger of God” Hashtag
He spoke about the hashtag “We are the Ummah of the Messenger of God” at last year’s conference, which was widely reflected in cyberspace, and based on this, it was decided that this hashtag would be presented at this year’s conference as well.”
Aghamohammad added: “Religious organizations and institutions are participating in this conference in line with the proximity goals, and one of the things we did was to activate a permanent secretariat. In other words, with a new definition, a job description was defined for the Permanent Secretariat of the International Islamic Unity Conference, and one of its most important tasks is to create comprehensive databases of personalities, institutions and currents around the world and examine the facilities and capabilities of guests. Of course, the reports that are needed have been leveled in different directions, and this secretariat is responsible for following up the approvals of the committees and workgroups.”
He also said: “The announcement of Unity Week, which was raised by Imam Khomeini (RA) at the beginning of the victory of the Revolution, will begin this year from October 19th, coinciding with the 12th of Rabi al-Awwal, the birthday anniversary of the Holy Prophet of Islam (PBUH) according to Sunni tradition, and it will continue until the October 24th, equal to the 17th of Rabi al-Awwal, the birthday anniversary of the Holy Prophet of Islam (PBUH) according to the Shiite tradition.”
Regarding the history of holding the International Islamic Unity Conference after the victory of the Revolution, Aghamohammad said: “The World Forum for the Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought has been formed since 1990 by the order of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution. So far, the International Islamic Unity Conference has been held for 34 years and for 4 years it has been held before the establishment of the World Forum for the Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought in the Islamic Advertisement Organization, and this shows the importance of the conference that the World Forum for the Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought was created for this issue, and then the proximity work and issues related to the unity of the Islamic world became part of the tasks of this forum.
