AMMAN — Their Majesties King
Abdullah and Queen Rania, in New York on Monday, received the Path to Peace
Award, presented by the Path to Peace Foundation affiliated with the Permanent
Observer Mission of the Holy See to the UN, according to a Royal Court
statement.
اضافة اعلان
Their
Majesties received the award in appreciation of their role in promoting
interfaith harmony and dialogue, as well as bolstering prospects for peace, and
in recognition of Jordan’s humanitarian efforts to host refugees.
In remarks at the ceremony to receive the award,
King Abdullah said: “Our journey on the path to peace must travel through
Jerusalem.”
“Billions of
people around the world hold that Holy City in their hearts. It is home to our
prayers and home to our hopes,” His Majesty continued.
The King said
Jerusalem is key to the future of peace and stability that all seek.
“As Custodian
of its Muslim and Christian Holy Sites, I say to you all, my friends, that
upholding the historical and legal status quo at these holy places is essential
for peace, for harmony, and freedom of worship,” His Majesty said.
The King
added that Jerusalem is home to many Arab Christians who are part of the oldest
Christian community in the world, and it is vital for all to protect their
presence in the Holy City.
“Jerusalem
should be an anchor for peace and coexistence, not for fear and violence,” His
Majesty said, warning that undermining the legal and historical status quo of
the Holy City will only escalate tensions and anger.
The King
urged the international community to help the Palestinians and the Israelis get
back to work to end the crisis to reach just and lasting peace that can provide
a future of hope for both parties, based on the two-state solution, leading to
the establishment of an independent, sovereign, and viable Palestinian state,
with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side-by- side with Israel in peace
and security.
His Majesty
accepted the award on behalf of all Jordanians, “who uphold the historic values
and noble heritage of our land, by living and working in mutual respect, by
sustaining Jordan as an oasis of peace, and by reaching out in compassion to
those in need, and offering sanctuary to millions of refugees over the years.”
The King also
reiterated the need for joint and holistic action at the international level to
harness political, technological, and economic tools to counter the challenges
of food insecurity, COVID implications, and climate change, while working to
eliminate poverty and despair, end occupation and injustice, help refugees
everywhere return home, ready to rebuild shattered communities, and renew the
hope that young people everywhere so desperately need.
Speaking at
the ceremony, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, the permanent observer of the Holy
See to the United Nations and president of the Path to Peace Foundation,
commended His Majesty’s efforts in pursuit of peace in the region and the
world.
“Your
engagement with religious leaders and your involvement with the process that
led to the Amman Message demonstrate your commitment not just to religious
tolerance but also to interfaith dialogue, seeking ‘A Common Word between Us
and You’. This culminated in your proposal, adopted by the UN General Assembly,
to establish a World Interfaith Harmony Week to be celebrated every year,” he
said, addressing His Majesty.
“Your recent
recommitment to protecting the sacred places of the Holy Land, shows that you
regard Christians as an integral part of the history and cultural fabric of the
Arab world and the Middle East. What is more, in the international arena you
are tireless in advocating lasting solutions for conflict resolution and peace
in the region,” Archbishop Caccia continued.
He also praised Her Majesty’s “concern for the
questions of education, connectivity and cross-cultural dialogue, as well as
sustainability, the environment and migration”, while placing young people at
the heart of solutions and imbuing all these efforts with a sense of hope.
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