EU-GCC explores avenues of co-operation for peaceful co-existence, religious harmony

By Nayla Barakat Manama, May 31 (BNA): The first EU-Bahrain conference being held in Manama is a step forward for both blocs’ commitment on peaceful co-existence and religious harmony in the rapidly changing world. This was the crux of the opening statement of EU Ambassador to Bahrain Patrick Simonnet during the EU-Bahrain Conference being held under the theme “Broadening the Tent: Freedom of Religion and Belief.” “The high-level EU-Bahrain conference titled ‘Broadening the Tent: Freedom of Religion and Belief’ (FORB) is organised in the framework of an important programme of dialogue between the EU and GCC countries aimed at reinforcing mutual understanding and cooperation in fields of co-existence through the freedom religion and belief,” he said. FORB is a key element of the HR framework, at the very core of the values upon which the EU has been built, after centuries of war and detestation between religious communities. Europe, and more particularly the European Union, have learned the hard way that FORB is an essential part of peaceful, free, and prosperous societies. “We have welcomed enthusiastically the readiness of the Kingdom of Bahrain to address FORB as a key element of the dialogue programme between EU and GCC countries,” Simonnet said. “It comes at an interesting time, when we see several countries in the area taking some positive steps forward in broadening FORB in their national remits. But it has been no surprise to us that the Kingdom of Bahrain was the first, and we hope not the only one, to advance proactively on this difficult issue and seek to develop cooperation with the EU. “Indeed, Bahrain has been the first Arab country to write in its constitution the Principle of the Freedom of Conscience, ahead of Iraq (2005) and Tunisia (2014). Obviously, the rich history of Bahrain has played a role in this crucial development. “We know the topic remains difficult in many parts of the world, and not least in the region, when the difficulties and uncertainties of the world (Covid-19, shifting poles of power on the global stage, disruption of supply chains, increased perception of the fragility of life…) are pushing many people to seek protection in their close communities, including religious, and in ready-made ideologies, including religious too. “And this in a time when all institutionalised religions are facing challenges from many sides and difficulties to respond to the expectations of their followers - generating even further anxieties and identity challenges from within. This conference is a fantastic opportunity to bring together experts, academics, policy makers, young and less young people from the EU and Bahrain to reflect together on the role of FORB, he added. “The conference will also tackle future challenges and what we could all do to reinforce our respective actions, programmes, policy undertaking, funding schemes, or even develop new tools that could make the Kingdom of Bahrain and the EU stronger allies to uphold Freedom of Religion and Belief - internally, because we all have our challenges, not least in Europe, but also on the global stage. “Our own European history, since the adoption of the UDHR in 1948, which enshrined FORB, has shown that nothing is won forever. There are clusters, currents, in our societies who think that FORB is a luxury that we should not afford, or worse, a burden that weights on our development, our opportunities to seek uniformity, restrict our group, our community to only the people who are like us.” He added that the FORB is increasingly an area of interest and active engagement for the EU, both internally and externally as this will be explained during this conference by academics, policy, and decision makers from the EU. “I will follow intensively the conversation and will draw some conclusions tomorrow based on the fruitful and rich exchanges that the audience is promising, seeing its high level of expertise, dedication and commitment at all levels - from the grassroots to the top,” he said.