AMMAN — People of all religions and cultures should focus on positive interaction and bridging the gaps between nations, HRH Prince Hassan said Tuesday.
At a meeting with a group of young diplomats participating in a regional networking programme, organised by the Jordanian and German foreign ministries in cooperation with the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy, the prince stressed the importance of having an accurate knowledge-base to help in policy planning.
Speaking to diplomats from Egypt, Yemen, Iraq, Morocco, Mauritania, Algeria, Palestine, Lebanon, Libya, South Africa, Korea, Sri Lanka and Germany, he called for defining the common good through social rhetoric that expresses the interests of all people, and for serious steps to be taken in order to achieve peace instead of waging war.
“We need a dialogue with the other; a dialogue that serves the public interest, such a dialogue is the only path to progress and reform,” said the prince.
He called for "holding on" to the future of the region's Arab-Islamic and Arab-Christian identity, warning that the ongoing fighting will only lead to more disunity and chaos.
Pointing to the absence of a correct definition of terrorism, Prince Hassan noted that terror comes in many forms, including individual terrorism, collective terrorism, cultural terrorism and ideological terrorism.
"It is evident that without real public participation, and without institutionalising social ties and adopting development programmes with popular support, the region's security and stability cannot be guaranteed," he said.
The prince stressed the need to link the past, present and future of the nation to create harmony and balance with "the other", and between thoughts and reality, and to focus on critical and scientific thinking.
He also called for concerted efforts at the regional and international levels to cooperate in water and energy issues.
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