INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON INTER RELIGIOUS DILOGUE AND THE CULTURE OF PEACH AT UZBEKISTAN-SHEIKHUL ISLAM SYED MAINUDDIN AHMED MAIZBHANDARI ATTEND

SHEIKHUL ISLAM SYED MAINUDDIN AHMED AL-HASANI WAL HOSSAINI MAIZBHANDARI ATTEND INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON INTER RELIGIOUS DILOGUE AND THE CULTURE OF PEACH AT UZBEKISTAN:

TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN -- UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, in association with the government of Uzbekistan, presented a significant international conference entitled "The UNESCO International Congress on Interreligious Dialogue and the Culture of Peace" in Uzbekistan in September, 2000. The conference was chaired by Mr. Karimov, President of Uzbekistan, and the Director General of UNESCO.

Leaders of all of the religions of the world from all across the planet were invited to participate in this important conference focusing on peace.Sheikul Islam Syed Mainuddin Ahmed Al Hasani Maizbhandari president of he World Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamat and Shajjadanshin of Darbar-E-Gausul Azam Maizbhandari,was invited to attend as representive of south Asian region (Bangladesh) .He is also Honorable Advisor of the International Association of Sufism,U S A .
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On the first day, an international conference was held at the Islamic University of Tashkent.The ministry of foreign affairs of Uzbekistan invited all the representatives for dinner. A conference on UNESCO International Congress on “INTER-RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE AND CULTURE OF PEACE” was held the next day in the conference room of Sheraton Hotel in Tashkent. Mr. Koichiro Matsuura,director general of UNESCO ,H.R.H. Prince Hassan Bin Talal of Jordan opened the congress.80 participants and observers from most of the religious and spiritual traditions of the world,coming from 40 countries,took part in the debates on the following four topics:1)Reciprocal knowledge and interactions between religions and spiritual traditions,2)Education on interreligious and intercultural dialogue,3)Interreligious dialogue in central Asia,4)Joint actions for peace and conflict prevention.The governor of Samarkand recepted the representatives and accompanied them in their visits to holy Sufi sites,Madrasa,Islamic Centre and Shrines.image

On the third day, the conference centered around Sufism and was devoted to a meeting on "Sufism and Inter-religious Dialogue" in Boukhara where Syed Mainuddin Al Hasani made a presentation as the main penalist. Shah Nazar Syed Dr.Kianfar, co-Director of the International Association of Sufism also shared his view about the issue. Shah Nazar Syed Dr.Kianfar accompanied Sheikul Islam Syed Mainuddin Al Hasani Maizbhandari at the conference,alongside Shahzada Syed Saifuddin Ahmed, chairman of the Anjuman-e- Rahmania Mainia and Mainia Foundation Bangladesh and son of Syed Mainuddin Ahmed.After the conference, the representatives visited many holy places in Boukhara and Samarkand such as the shrine and Islamic complex of Imam Boukhari and the shrine of Imam Bahauddin Naqshbandi and other sufi shrines and Islamic centers.Afterwards, the governor of Boukhara arranged a reception,dinner and cultural ceremony for the representatives.
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Sheikhul Islam Syed Mainuddin Ahmed was the guest of the government of Uzbekistan throughout his week-long stay and experienced their gracious hospitality throughout his visit. In his opening statement at the conference, Shahzada Syed Mainuddin Ahmed gave those assembled from around the world, representing every religious tradition, the following message:

"A peace loving man can only establish peace and happiness.Sufism is the only way by which peace and happiness can be established throughout the world because the ‘ism’ itself depends upon peace and security.”

It was a truly memorable week of friendship and sharing among people of different religions and cultures with the focus on understanding and peace.