RIYADH, 21 February 2007 — Islamic and Western non-governmental organizations (NGOs) will come together on a common platform to undertake joint humanitarian work in disaster-stricken areas, announced Dr. Saleh Al-Wohaibi, secretary-general of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY).
Al-Wohaibi was speaking at a function to honor the outgoing British Ambassador Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, who has been designated as Britain’s next ambassador to Afghanistan.
The WAMY chief said a new NGO called Humanitarian Forum has been registered in London. WAMY is a member of this forum and part of its steering committee. The Humanitarian Forum will hold its first meeting in Doha on March 1. The setting up of this international organization signals a new drive among Muslim and Western NGOs to pool their resources in a joint mission to alleviate human suffering and work for the well-being of humanity at large.
Pointing out that Muslim NGOs have been greatly affected by events in the aftermath of 9/11, the WAMY chief said no difficulty was insurmountable if the spirit of determination to overcome the challenge remained strong.
In this context, he quoted the fifth century Arab poet Al-Mutannabe who observed that even a minor problem looks like a Herculean task to a small man, while a seemingly uphill task fails to deter a great man.
Al-Wohaibi paid tributes to the British ambassador for his role in strengthening relations between the diplomatic community and WAMY and assured support to his successor as well as the British Embassy. He presented a commemorative plaque to Cowper-Coles in recognition of his efforts.
The ambassador said WAMY played an active role in all charitable causes. He pointed out that Islam, Christianity and Judaism stem from the same stock and, therefore, share the same values. Unfortunately, extremist forces were trying to subvert them by sowing the seeds of hatred in society. He said Islam preaches a great message: “Treat others in the same way as you would like others to treat you.”
The ambassador stressed the need for overcoming extremist forces in the interest of promoting peace and mutual understanding. These forces were waging a psychological warfare in their attempt to drive a wedge between Islam and the West.
The ambassador paid tribute to the Kingdom’s leadership for its various initiatives to promote peace in the Middle East, whether in Palestine (through the Makkah Declaration), Iraq, Iran, or in Lebanon and Syria.
“Saudi Arabia thinks we made a mistake in dealing with the situation in the Middle East. But ultimately, we all share the same goal of restoring peace in the region, including a two-state solution for Palestine,” he added.
