Leaders of World Jewish Congress, Muslim World League convey concerns to UN
Ambassador Ronald Lauder, H.E. Dr. Mohammad Al-Issa: ‘Campaigns Against Racism More Effective if United.’ Lauder and Al-Issa convey Vision and Concerns to UN Secretary-General António Guterres
World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder and Muslim World League Secretary-General Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa elevated their interfaith partnership in a private briefing with U.N. chief António Guterres, and urged him to advocate for religious freedom and an end to violence against houses of worship.
Immediately after the Tuesday briefing at the United Nations, Amb. Lauder and Dr. Al-Issa also renewed their commitment to working together to promote religious tolerance around the globe, leveraging their influence as leaders of independent, global organizations that are apolitical but wield significant moral standing.
Sharing their vision and concerns with Guterres, the pair urged the U.N. secretary-general to promote interfaith dialogue and coexistence as a way to forge consensus on many of the world’s greatest challenges. They emphasized that religions have a unique power to unite individuals given their common source in mercy and peace.
“Campaigns against racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia and other manifestations of hate will be infinitely more effective if they are united, both by the Abrahamic faiths and other religions worldwide.” Amb. Lauder said. “We must all stand together against racism. We believe in working toward a better world, for generations to come.”
“The world is under threat from pernicious individuals and groups that seek to use hatred, violence and discrimination to target Muslims, Jews and many other global communities,” said Dr. Al-Issa. “Fortunately, however, we are seeing interfaith partnerships blossom more than ever before as we unite to fight the scourge of racism and extremism, and build bridges of tolerance, understanding, peace and harmony.”
On Oct. 4, the World Jewish Congress and the Muslim World League issued a historic joint statement before the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, pledging an interfaith commitment to promoting and protecting human rights for all. It marked the first time a coordinated statement was presented by Jewish and Muslim representative groups before a U.N. body.
At that time, the two faith groups reiterated the need to safeguard religious freedom globally and the right of individuals to practice their religion as a basic human right.
About the World Jewish Congress
The World Jewish Congress (WJC) is the international organization representing Jewish communities in 100 countries to governments, parliaments and international organizations. www.wjc.org
About the Muslim World League
The Muslim World League (MWL) is an international non-governmental organization based in the Holy City of Mecca that aims to clarify the true, moderate principles of Islam by advancing empathy and coexistence, providing humanitarian aid to Muslims and non-Muslims alike, building bridges of dialogue and cooperation, and combating hatred and extremism in all its forms.
Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.
Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).
Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.
Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.
His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.
Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.
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