Bahrain to host international conference on 'Almsgiving and Comprehensive Development'

Manama, Apr. 10 (BNA): The Kingdom will host an international conference on "Zakat (Almsgiving) and Comprehensive Development", to be held under the patronage of the Minister of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments, Shaikh Khalid bin Ali bin Abdulla Al Khalifa. The international event will be organised by the Justice Ministry’s Zakat and Charity Fund, in cooperation with the London-based Cambridge Research and Training Centre, the London Centre for Training and Consultancy, and the Al-Raqaba Group Financial Islamic Consultations in Jordan. Commenting on the event, Justice Ministry’s Religious Affairs Director, Dr. Mohammed Tahar Al-Qattan, said that the conference is part of the efforts to achieve the Economic Vision of Bahrain, 2030, which is based on the principles of sustainability, competitiveness and fairness. The conference will also focus on highlighting the advantages of almsgiving and its positive impact on society, and discuss practical projects aimed at developing the reality of almsgiving in modern life, he added. Zakat and Charity Fund Chairman and Secretary-General of the conference, Shaikh Salah Haidar, said that Bahrain is among the pioneers of Islamic banking in the world, expressing hope that the event will activate the civilisational and sustainable development roles of almsgiving. He also lauded the cooperation of the Cambridge Research and Training Centre, the London Centre for Training and Consultancy, and the Al-Raqaba Group Financial Islamic Consultations in Jordan in organising the international conference. Head of the Cambridge Research and Training Centre, Dr. Hafsa Ghareeb, welcomed cooperation between the centre and the Zakat and Charity Fund, hailing the Zakat and Charity Fund’s effective contributions to achieving social solidarity, compassion and unity. She asserted that the international conference will strengthen Bahrain’s status on the world map, especially in the field of Islamic banking in which the kingdom is a leader.