The Arab League (AL) has launched an Arab youth campaign under the title
“Together Against Terrorism”, the motto being ‘No to violence, no to
extremism, no to terrorism’.
Sunday 15 May saw Arab youth and sports ministers join AL Secretary-General
Nabil al-Araby in launching the campaign in a conference at the Cairo AL
headquarters. The campaign aims at employing youth competences to combat
violence, extremism and terrorism, and to achieve development in Arab
societies. Mr Araby said young people are peace loving and represent the future
of nations. They are thus, he stressed, the most competent to achieve the goals
targeted by the conference, and to promote awareness of the importance of
standing up to violence, extremism, and terrorism.
The AL invited Anba Theodosius, Coptic Orthodox Bishop-General of Giza, to
give a word in the conference.
Anba Theodosius started by offering thanks on behalf of Pope Tawadros II to
Mr Araby and all those present. He praised the campaign, saying that the motto
‘No to violence, no to extremism, no to terrorism’ should be adopted by all in
the future.
“This is a historic day where solidarity and fraternity of Arab nations are
underscored,” Anba Theodosius said. He stressed that all peace-seeking nations
should strive to sow a culture of tolerance, acceptance of the other and rejecting
violence. “One and all should aspire to advocate and achieve communal
coexistence through love, peace, discipline and solidarity, in order to create a
future where pluralism, diversity and tolerance reign through the Arab World.”
He underlined the role of religious institutions in rooting the values of
acceptance of the other, and in guiding their clerics to carry a message of peace.
Anba Theodosius said that legislation enhancing equality, citizenship rights,
justice, and empowerment of young people should be enacted in order to set the
groundwork for a healthy climate that rejects violence, extremism and terrorism.
WATANI International
17 May 2016