By Geneva Centre
GENEVA, Jun 16 2017 (Geneva Centre)

Dr. Hanif Hassan Ali Al Qassim the Chairman of the Geneva Centre for Human Rights Advancement and Global Dialogue (“The Geneva Centre”) as well as the Centre’s Executive Director Ambassador Idriss Jazairy and Board Member Trevor Mostyn attended the inauguration ceremony of the new premises of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies whose patron is HRH Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales.

The ceremony was also attended by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees HRH Prince Turki Al-Faisal and by the Oxford Centre’s Executive Director Dr. Farhan Nizami.

The Chairman of the Geneva Centre and its Executive Director had the opportunity to meet with HRH Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales. On this occasion, the Chairman of the Geneva Centre Dr. Al Qassim stated that he “would be honoured to collaborate with the Oxford Centre to forge dialogue and to build bridges between Islam and Christianity.

“The Geneva Centre”, he said, “is currently in the process of arranging a World Conference on the subject of ‘Religions and Beliefs, Joining Forces to Enhance Equal Citizenship Rights.’ I believe this would be an ideal opportunity for both Centres to unite their forces in addressing prevailing misunderstandings affecting Muslim-Christian relations through the advancement of equal and inclusive citizenship rights.”

Invitees during the inauguration ceremony also included representatives from academic institutions, governmental organizations as well as international and non-governmental organizations.

The Oxford Centre forms part of the renowned Oxford University considered as one of the world’s leading and most influential educational institutions.

The mission of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies is to act as a “meeting point between the Islam and Western worlds of learning.” The Centre is also committed to the “advancement of academic excellence in teaching, research and publication.” It was established in 1985 to encourage the “scholarly study of Islam and the Islamic world.”

On 15 February 2017, the Geneva Centre’s Executive Director Ambassador Idriss Jazairy had delivered a lecture at the Oxford Centre on the ideas and teachings of the founder of modern Algeria Emir Abd el Qader el Jazairy.

He had been invited by the current Director of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies to offer his insights on the heritage of Emir Abd el Kader as a “precursor of universal values.”