The first International Conference on Interfaith Dialogue, entitled "Towards a Culture of Interfaith Dialogue", was launched under the auspices of His Excellency President Michel Aoun, President of the Lebanese Republic. The keynote participants were the Minister Pierre Raffoul, representative of the Lebanese President, Quassim Hashem, representative of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Nabih Berri, Monsignor Ivan Santos, representative of the Papal Ambassador to Lebanon.  As well, there was a large number of Islamic and Christian religious figures from the Arab and Muslim worlds, and a crowd of official figures from diplomatic, security, academic and social sectors. Al-Maaref University and the Lebanese Association for the Advancement of Science were the organizers of a conference on Tuesday and Wednesday, 12 and 13 September 2017 at the Lancaster Hotel in Beirut, Lebanon.

Following the recitation of the Quran and the Lebanese National Anthem, Dr Kamal Lezeiq, Assistant Dean of the Faculty of Religions and Humanities in Al Maaref University, Dr Kamal Lazeiq, welcomed the guests and noted the aims and aspirations of the conference.

The President of Al Maaref University, Professor Ali Alaeddine, opened the international conference by stating that the events in the Arab and Islamic region today such as the spread of anti-religious phenomena in general, or the practice of murder and bloodshed in the name of religion have become an insult to the image of religion itself. This situation has been aggravated by having international and regional ambitions and stances exploiting extremism and anti-religious phenomena in sectarian and religious wars for partition, fragmentation and hegemony. He also stressed that the importance of promoting a culture of dialogue, hoping that "this conference will achieve the goals set for it." He added that Lebanon "today marks a new victory over ‘Takfiri’ terrorism, as it has already achieved its victory over the Zionist occupation, thanks to the sacrifice of its army, people and resistance."

 President of the Lebanese Association for the Advancement of Science, Professor Naeem Awaini, said that the aim of focusing on the culture of dialogue is to transform interfaith dialogue "into a compelling factor in raising awareness about the importance of issues that contribute to the development of human life." He revealed that "When we met to lay the groundwork for the conference, we stressed the word culture, which gives the dialogue better and more important cultural and cultural dimensions that we need in our country. It is not surprising that the Lebanese President Michel Aoun has taken care of this conference, which is known for its support for dialogue between different religions and political parties. "

 Professor Awaini also urged the elites to direct interfaith dialogue towards knowledge, science and responsibility. He concluded by saying that interfaith dialogue "is an act of openness, respect and recognition of the importance and possibility of coexistence in a pluralistic world."

The Secretary-General of the World Assembly for the Convergence of Islamic Schools of Thought, Ayatollah Sheikh Mohsen Al-Araki, stressed that the basis for the establishment of dialogue among religions should be on "reason as a referential framework that can secure recognition and cannot have the probability of disputes”. He emphasised that there is the necessity for instituting a reason that founds the religious thoughts. Accordingly, he proposed to Al Maaref University to take the initiative to establish a special university department for interfaith dialogue, which will inevitably pave the way for materialising the applied dialogue, considering that "the common shared principles and practices are the basis for dialogue."

The representative of the Patriarch of Antioch and the East of the Greek Orthodox Patriarch John X Yazigi, Father Dr Porfirios Jerji, Dean of the Faculty of Theology at the University of Balamand expressed his belief that "Muslims and Christians are the lungs of one body" in this common oriental world. He also affirmed that the conference was timely and "the initiative serves Lebanon and the rest of the East to establish better foundations for more peace."

In this context, the President of Al Zaytouna University, Dr Hisham Qreisi, explained in his speech about the Quranic concept of “Building the Earth” as a representation of a fundamental task of a human being to achieve the ‘succession’ of the earth. For him, the "Charter of Reform" is the origin of the process of building in the land, pointing out that the retrenchment of the cultural ethos and familial ties in the Ummah, and the fractured social structure would lead the nation to become easy prey for fragmentation and entrenchment.

Sheikh Ghassan al-Halabi, the representative of the Sheikh of the Druze Community, Sheikh Naim Hassan, said at the beginning of his speech that “not taking a position against the “Takfiri sensibility” are contrary to the heavenly purposes, also adding that,  "the entrenchment behind monologue communication is contrariness to dialogues. He praised the participants in the conference, especially those who had come from countries that had paid a hefty price in the face of terrorism.

Vice-President of the Supreme Shiite Islamic Council, Sheikh Ali Al-Khatib, was keen to draw the attention to the idea that Islam holds the viewpoint that all divine religions have common principles, and if there are, differences, they are located in the details. For him, the dialogue represents a core principle of religions and requires recognition and acceptance of the other as “the other is”. Such attitude implies that no one can impose his/her beliefs on the other. He also mentioned that "the relations between Islam and Christianity were established on dialogue, and all the mistakes made by some adherents, both religions should not bear the responsibility for them”.

Sheikh Dr Magdy Ashour, the Academic Advisor to the Egyptian Grand Mufti, said that "religions call for the production of life, not for the production of death, and that the Qur'an shows the value of life." He called for not to blame religion for the actions of the followers of some religions. He asked to take inspiration from some models from the life of Prophet Mohamad (PBUH). At the end of a speech, he confirmed that the arbiter for "the benefit of man to his fellow man" is the criterion of preference among people”.

For his part, the Head of the World Union of Clerical of Resistant, Sheikh Maher Hammoud, considered that "Takfiris’ understand the Others based on their books and leaders, and that their understanding of the Others was not derived from principles of dialogue, but from their preconceptions about them". Sheikh Hamoud was anticipated that "those who reject dialogue are inevitably condemning themselves, and that they have no confidence in their ideas." He wished the conference will seek the first steps for establishing a "society of just and justice".

Archbishop Mounir Khairallah, a representative of the Patriarch of Antioch and the Rest of the Levant of the Maronites and the President of the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops, called for forgetting the problems of "the past, especially at present time where those who may want to present Islam in a manner that does not fit its well-respected values. He reminded the audience about the life of Patriarch Istfan al-Duweihi who worked in all his writings and research on considering both the Islamic and Maronite histories belonging to the same history. He emphasised the importance of anchoring a "culture of dialogue and education until the dialogue reaps the fruits of the interfaith interactions between Christianity and Islam in the East." In conclusion, he called for "confessions" and “mutual exchanges” to establish the development of the East.

The Vatican's representative, Monsignor Ivan Santos, reminded of the role of the Pope Francis in enhancing the dialogue, indicating that "taking a logical risk is the basis for dialogue, and we are all invited to seek the truth." Finally, he focused on the role of hope in the importance of seeking beauty and that the present youth are in desperate need to declare about their need for the Other in the presence of the Creator. "

At the end of the Opening Ceremony of the conference, the Minister, Dr Pierre Raffoul, representing the President of the Lebanese Republic, General Michel Aoun, delivered a speech where he mentioned about having lots of talks currently that may be destructive and vindictive of the Other, while life requires participation and mutual respect. He considered that the lack of language of dialogue divides families and increases conflicts at a time when the need is for open hearts that love and people who are ready to listen to the Other. He praised the institutions behind launching the conference, considering that it will " allow to become more knowledgeable about the causes and phenomena of dialogue and to become orientated more toward an interfaith dialogue among religions at a time of continuous human violations committed in the name of religion”.

The patron of the ceremony, Minister Raffoul, expressed his lament for widening the wave of withdrawal from religions among the-the new generation, in contrast to the expansion of the phenomenon of blind religious fanaticism and the atonement of the other. Therefore, he recommended that “the concerned in the issue of dialogue to begin with the care for the family by "teaching our children the culture of dialogue" and continue to remind about its importance in our educational institutions, mosques and churches. He also emphasised on having a thorough review of what took place and have the courage to hold the full responsibilities to reveal those areas of errors and disparities”.

At the end of the opening ceremony, the organizers of Al Maaref University and LAAS presented an honorary shield to His Excellency the President of the Republic. By this, the conference proceedings and its two-day research sessions, attended by some lecturers and researchers from the Arab and Islamic worlds, was declared convening.