UNESCO CHAIR For Inter-Religious Dialogue Studies in The Islamic World
The UNESCO Chair for Interreligious Dialogue took part in the activities of the Fifth International Conference titled “Critical Studies in Doctrinal and Sectarian Writings,” organized by the National Forum for Thought and Culture Research, with the participation of several institutions and more than 25 researchers from Iraq and other Arab and Islamic countries.
The opening ceremony was held in the hall of the College of Jurisprudence at the University of Kufa on Thursday, May 2, 2024.
The research presented addressed issues surrounding the Islamic documentation of beliefs, jurisprudence, sects, the history of religions, and the impact of certain writings in fostering contemporary extremism.
The UNESCO Chair’s participation was as a supporting entity for the National Forum for Thought and Culture Research, in addition to presenting a research paper titled “The Bahá’í Movement: Their Beliefs and Intellectual Dimensions – A Study in Sectarian Writings,” prepared by Dr. Zainab Haidar Al-Rikabi, a member of the UNESCO Chair for Interreligious Dialogue at the University of Kufa.
The aim of the research was to shed light on one of the contemporary sects or movements that emerged from Islam and the reasons behind the rise of this sect.
The research plan was as follows:
- First Section: An introduction to Bahá’ísm and its historical origins.
- Second Section: Bahá’í beliefs and their intellectual dimensions.
- Third Section: Issues raised against Bahá’ísm.
The paper concluded with the key findings of the research.
