GCC Ministerial Council Commends Bahrain’s Hosting of Intra-Islamic Dialogue Conference

The Ministerial Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), in its 163rd session, held in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, commended the Kingdom of Bahrain for hosting the inaugural edition of the Intra-Islamic Dialogue Conference in February 2024.

The event was held under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain, and was attended by His Eminence Professor Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, along with more than 400 scholars and intellectuals representing various Islamic schools of thought and sects.

Article 47 of the final statement of the meeting underscored the Ministerial Council’s appreciation for Bahrain’s hosting of the Intra-Islamic Dialogue Conference under the theme “One Nation, One Shared Destiny.”

The conference aimed to foster unity, reject division and discord, uphold the noble values of Islam, and strengthen solidarity and rapprochement among Islamic schools of thought.

The conference, organized jointly by Al-Azhar, the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the Muslim Council of Elders, culminated in the launch of the “Call for the People of Qiblah” Charter—a comprehensive declaration aimed at fostering dialogue and mutual understanding among all Islamic sects and schools of thought. This landmark document reaffirms the unity of the Muslim Ummah and the importance of collective efforts in addressing contemporary challenges.