Premier calls for addressing global challenges to promote global peace

Vienna, Oct. 12 (BNA): His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa has stressed the importance of shared action by the international community to mature a wide-ranging vision to address security, political and economic challenges, and to take more effective measures to ensure peace and stability world-wide. "The Kingdom of Bahrain believes that peace is capable of opening boundless horizons for cooperation among nations and peoples, and we are now more determined to continue our efforts aimed to mobilise international support for peace in the world," he said. "As an international community, we need to join hands to strengthen the world's peace environment, advance our responsibility towards our most in need communities, support their development efforts and establish sustainable peace for all the peoples of the world," he added. HRH Premier made the statements while addressing the annual reception of the Flame of Peace 2018, which was held today by the Association of Peace Furtherance at the historic Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria. The speech was delivered on behalf of HRH Premier by Shaikh Hossam bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Chairman of the Committee on His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa Award for Sustainable Development. Present were HIRH Archduchess Hertha Margaret von Hapsburg, President of the Association for the Furtherance of Peace, HIRH Archduke of Sandor Habsburg-Lothringen, Vice-President, Association for the Furtherance of Peace, and a number of senior figures of the United Nations and the Organisation, representatives of civil society organisations, and journalists. The annual celebrations of the Flame of Peace are important events to promote the spirit of cooperation among peoples and work together to spread a culture of peace, HRH emier Psaid, praising the noble message of the Association for the Furtherance of Peace to remind the international community of its responsibilities towards a world that is still troubled by unrest and armed conflict and terrorism. He reiterated the Kingdom's keenness on the participation of the international community in all its efforts to promote and establish peace. The Prime Minister also reiterated his call on the occasion of World Peace Day of September 21, 2018 to "develop an international collective action system and more effective mechanisms to end conflicts that have exhausted the potentials of many countries and peoples in all regions of the world. " HRH Premier went on to recall the preamble of the UNESCO Constitution, which states that "Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed" and that "Peace is not an absence of war; it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, and justice ". The Premier stressed that the Kingdom of Bahrain pays particular attention to the issues of peace, security and sustainable development, as well as cultural diversity and openness. Her Imperial Highness Herta Margret von Habsburg, Archduke of Tuscany- Austria, President of the Association for the Furtherance of Peace, stressed that the Flame of Peace of 2018 highlights the efforts of His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa in the field of peace in recognition of his role and initiatives in serving international efforts to establish peace and stability. She said that this year's celebration bears the title of "Leader of the Flame of International Peace" in recognition of the role of His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa in the field of peace and his initiatives that serve this purpose internationally. She expressed her appreciation for the attention he pays to the issues of peace and development in the world, stressing that the world looks with great admiration and respect to the high figures such as His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, who contribute to the foundations of progress in the Kingdom of Bahrain. “His good initiatives in the areas of peace and development helped to recognise shared responsibility of leaders and peoples for a world of peace and stability, HIRH said. During the ceremony, an agreement of cooperation was signed between the Committee onHis Royal Highness Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa Award for Sustainable Development and the Association for the Furtherance of Peace. The agreement is aimed at exchanging knowledge and best practices in their respective fields, and to ensure that the HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Award for Sustainable Development is dedicated to promoting peace and security through the implementation of the sustainable development goals. It was signed by Shaikh Hussam bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Chairman of the Khalifa Bin Salman Sustainable Development Award Committee, and Her Imperial Highness Hertha Margaret von Hapsberg, Archduke Tuscany – Austria. Under the agreement, the two sides agreed to be partners in cooperation in the areas of knowledge innovation, advocacy for the common good of mankind, and sharing and dissemination of knowledge to other interested parties. Shaikh Hussam bin Isa Al Khalifa affirmed that the agreement comes within the framework of His Royal Highness the Prime Minister's interest in serving issues of peace and achieving sustainable development goals based on his belief in the importance of cooperation and partnership among all parties concerned to promote stability and peace for the future of humankind. He praised the efforts of the Association for the Furtherance of Peace in terms of establishing a culture of peace through its active ability to build strong ties of cooperation and communication among governments, civil societies and all international organisations. HIRH Herta Margaret von Habsburg welcomed the signing of the cooperation agreement with the Committee of HRH Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Award for Sustainable Development, lauding the prestigious international recognition of the award in appreciation to the efforts led by His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa to support the implementation of sustainable development goals as global targets for the well-being and development of people in all parts of the world. At the conclusion of the ceremony, shields of recognition and honour were exchanged between the two sides. A documentary shedding light on HRR Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa’s high profile in fostering development and peace was screened. A number of artistic shows were also performed by teams representing various participating countries.