Tolerance, peaceful coexistence are essence of HM King's reforms

Manama, Apr. 14 (BNA): Information Affairs Minister Ali bin Mohammed Al Romaihi has praised the Members of Parliament (MPs) for their responsible patriotic stance emanating from their legislative and monitoring duties regarding the enactment and enforcement of legislative and executive measures capable of maintaining civic and societal peace and confirmation of the spirit of tolerance, pluralism and acceptance of the other within the frame of responsible freedom of opinion and expression, shunning the provocative calls of sedition, hate, false rumours and fallacies especially across social media websites. He pointed out the Information Ministry’s commitment to boosting the partnership with national institutions in order to consolidate the responsible freedom of expression and opinion across the various media and social media platforms on the basis of responsibility, honesty and credibility without infringing the rights and freedoms or defamation of others’ reputation, dignity or incitement of hatred, sectarianism or hostility, in compliance with the Constitution, national legislations, Arab and international rights’ conventions. The minister stressed keenness on the inclusion of these values and principles in the new electronic press and media law. Al Romaihi affirmed the importance of spreading of the rights and legal awareness, inculcating the values of citizenship and national belonging, the culture of peace and moderation in all radio and television programmes. The minister and board of trustees chairman of the Bahrain Institute for Political Development (BIPD) said that tolerance and peaceful co-existance are the essence of His Majesty's reforms approach and the BIPD supports the National Plan to Promote the Values of Citizenship launched by Interior Minister in March as an integrated workable approach for the public and private entities, NGOs and the media in order to bolster the safeguarding of the national identity and internal cohesion. The minister hailed the initiatives and directives of His Majesty the King which will always remain as the guidelines to be emulated by the State institutions, the civic society and the entire world in order to consolidate tolerance and peaceful co-existence among all the civilizations, cultures and religions. The minister expressed his pride in His Majesty’s launching the Kingdom of Bahrain’s Universal Document for Tolerance, creating the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Co-existence, the King Hamad Chair for Interfaith Dialogue and Peaceful Co-existence in Sapienza University, Italy, and other leading humanitarian initiatives.