(MENAFN- Jordan Times) AMMAN — HRH Prince Hassan, chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Institute for Interfaith Studies (RIIFS), on Tuesday opened the institute's symposium on cultural fluency, the Jordan News Agency, Petra reported.
Organised in cooperation with the American University of Notre Dame and Tantur Ecumenical Institute, Jerusalem, the event tackled cultural fluency from Islamic, Christian, academic, cultural and human perspectives.
During the seminar, the prince emphasised that respect for different cultures must be reflected by the management of sacred sites worldwide.
He highlighted the current polarising battle that leads to hatred on one side and appreciation of diversity that leads to discussion and togetherness on the other.
He underscored that focusing on our shared humanity and values, regardless of race or religion, with mutual understanding, respect, and communication leads to strengthening societal peace and security.
The prince underscored the importance of knowledge exchange that is based on 'intellectual generosity' among followers of different religions and cultures, especially researchers and scholars, calling for finding specialised post-PhD scholarships focused on researches based on comparative studies to 'better understand the other'.
For his part, Monim Seri, a speaker from the American University of Notre Dame, stressed the importance of mutual respect and enhancing understanding between cultures through constructive dialogue that focuses on common values and respects differences.
He pointed out the need to develop cultural exchange programmes and expand discussion, commending the role of the RIIFS in enhancing the values of dialogue and co-existence.
Russ McDougall, from the Tantur Ecumenical Institute, called for boosting cultural fluency in light of the criticism towards religions that 'harm their followers'.
McDougall noted that diversity among cultures is an added value that enhances their depth, which necessitates the recognition and understanding of this diversity.
During the symposium, President of the German Jordanian University Manar Fayyad presented a paper on the role of innovation in enhancing the cultural policy on campus.
MENAFN1907201800280000ID1097173668
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.