Under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud - may Allah protect him - His Excellency the Minister of Education, Mr. Yusuf A. Albanyan, inaugurated the International Conference on the Role of Universities in Promoting National Belonging Values and Peaceful Coexistence at Imam Mohammad ibn Saud Islamic University this evening in the conference hall at the University campus in Riyadh.

The conference, which includes a distinguished group of scholars, thinkers, intellectuals, and more than 38 international participants and educational entities from around the world, aligns with the Kingdom's Vision 2030 and the Saudi Character Development Program. Its aim is to enhance national belonging values and peaceful coexistence through six main themes covering correct creed, national belonging, peaceful coexistence, moderation and tolerance, sustainable development, and mechanisms and means of promoting national belonging.

During his opening speech, His Excellency the Minister of Education expressed his gratitude to the wise leadership for the generous care and support provided to the education sector, affirming that the conference reflects the Kingdom's keenness to establish a language of partnership and mutual responsibility with the world. He wished everyone success and prosperity.

He called on all universities to play an important and essential role in implementing effective programs that foster conscious citizenship values and commitment to national identity, promote principles of peaceful coexistence, consolidate the foundations of human brotherhood based on tolerance and coexistence, respect the values and beliefs of others to protect the cultural security system, intellectual awareness, as well as building resilient societies and preparing aware generations.

His Excellency praised this initiative aimed at promoting religious values, disseminating ethical content, and establishing pure humanitarian foundations in accordance with the noble principles of Islamic Sharia and its lofty message, in addition to preserving these constants to protect this generation and future generations.

The Minister of Education noted that the conference serves as a broad gateway to sustainable opportunities, hoping that this blessed conference will achieve its goals and objectives in highlighting the Kingdom's great efforts in promoting the culture of moderation, its pioneering efforts in enhancing civilizational communication and peaceful coexistence, and serving as a scientific platform for universities to exchange ideas and experiences and create opportunities for cooperation and integration in line with the conference's desired goals.

For his part, His Excellency the President of Imam Mohammad ibn Saud Islamic University, Prof. Ahmad S. Alaameri, emphasized the university's commitment in its strategic plan (2021-2025) to make one of its themes: (national awareness) with the aim of building a national character based on moderation and toleration, including several initiatives aimed at developing the skills of students and university staff to enhance moderate national identity.

Prof. Alaameri affirmed the university's endeavor through this conference to exchange experiences and experiments among universities and develop them to enhance national belonging values and peaceful coexistence.