The seventh meeting of the conference on Comparative Studies of Ethics in Islam and Christianity under the title of Ethics in Public Diplomacy and Peace was held on Sunday, May 28, 2023 at Khatam al-Nabe'een Institute.

 

In this meeting, Dr. Verdan Obucina from Germany virtually and online, and Dr. Amini Golestani, head of the International Institute of Peace and Religions and cultural imam of Munich, Germany were the lecturers, and discussed the definitions and necessity of peace in the contemporary world and the soft power of diplomacy.

Obucina, the president of the Orthodox Religions Dialogue Center of Zagreb, stated that the peace of religions is an undeniable necessity in a world that is caught in a moral and spiritual crisis. In the current situation, especially in the West, governments are involved in political purposes, and moral issues are not prioritized that much, while real spirituality is only possible through inter-religious dialogue. He added that in the Christian Bible, service to one's neighbor is a kind of human necessity.

The professor of Regensburg University, as the only Shiite priest in Croatia and East Germany who has traveled to Iran twice and was a guest of the Al-Mustafa International University added that, "Shia does not have a strong presence in Europe and that clerics who know languages should be present in this arena and the Council of Religious Leaders should also be present in order to build trust. 
Finally, Verdan stated that the Shiites should introduce themselves more because in Europe the Hanafi Sunnis have mostly taken over the power of speech.

Dr. Amini, while explaining the definitions related to the concept of public diplomacy and its difference with public relations and propaganda, stated that in the Islamic model of public diplomacy, the three principles of invitation, supporting people financially, and reconciliation are the inevitable principles of the present era in the issue of peace studies. According to these three principles, it is possible to correctly introduce Islam.

Among the most important methods used in the public diplomacy of the Prophet, we can refer to the following items:
1. Political method (Negotiating with people, elites and representatives);
2. Cultural-propagational method (sending propagators);
3. Legal method (conclusion of political treaties and contracts);
4. Economic method (supporting people financially);
5. Humanitarian method.

The head of the International Institute of Peace and Religions further stated that, "there are 14 main verses in the Qur'an about peace, that most of these verses speak about peace, and Allah Almighty has depicted a beautiful picture of peace in these verses."

For more information on this meeting you can also watch the whole video through the following link: