Khaberni - The Minister of Social Development, Wafaa Bani Mustafa, stated that religious coexistence is a noble value that forms a solid foundation for societal stability and a solid base for building a safe and prosperous future in Jordan and Palestine, pointing out that religious coexistence is not just a slogan, but is a responsibility and a mission, and the cornerstone in building communities that seek peace, development, and stability.
Bani Mustafa, while sponsoring the ceremony organized by the Lod Charitable Association on the occasion of the "Season of Lod," said that Jordan, under its wise Hashemite leadership, constitutes a global model in preserving freedom of belief and respecting religious diversity, as the state has been keen since its establishment to establish principles of justice and equality among all citizens, Muslims and Christians, and made coexistence a firm approach based on mutual respect and ingrained citizenship values.
She pointed out that the United Nations General Assembly adopted the first week of February each year as the World Interfaith Harmony Week, as a global week for interfaith harmony, based on an initiative proposed by His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein in 2010 to promote cultural peace and reject violence.
Bani Mustafa also mentioned that the Hashemite custodianship over the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, which is a natural extension of the Hashemite role in preserving Islamic and Christian sanctities for over a century, played a significant role in preserving the Islamic and Christian religious landmarks, ensuring respect for the historical and legal status of the holy sites, and preventing any changes that affect the rights of Islamic sanctities, the rights of different churches, or affect the sacred religious character of the city.
In his turn, the President of the Lod Charitable Association Mahmoud al-Tarteer stated that the Season of Lod, held annually for hundreds of years in the city of Lod, constitutes an annual occasion hosting celebrations to emphasize shared living among Muslims and Christians, leaving a positive spirit among the people of Lod and their sense of happiness and joy during this charitable season, which reinforces the spirit of shared religious living among the city's residents based on love, affection, brotherhood, and harmony.
For his part, Assistant to the Archbishop Archimandrite Venediktos Kyal stated that the Season of Lod is a living embodiment of the brotherhood and love that the city of Lod has experienced through successive generations to this day, sharing in joys and sorrows, as they share in the homeland, noting that the harmony between the members of both religions is a source of strength and never a point of dispute.
He added that shared living is practices we engage in daily, not just slogans we repeat in Lod, throughout Palestine, and Jordan, and this celebration forms strength and love for one another.
In turn, member of the Jordan Scholars League and founding member of the Jordan Center for Research on Religious Coexistence, Dr. Hamdi Murad stated that Jordan represents the home of the Arab and Islamic nations, and the home of Muslims, Christians, and humanity, amid what its citizens experience of dignified living based on brotherhood, love, harmony, and coexistence, away from extremism and rigidity, pointing out that from Jordan came the Amman Message and the Interfaith Harmony Week, and a common word; thus forming a call for love and peace among followers of religions.
The head of the Cultural Committee in the Lod Association, Shibli Al-Asmar said that for more than 1500 years, generations have been keen to celebrate the occasion of the Season of Lod annually, to emphasize this model of shared living between Muslims and Christians, and love and harmony among brothers, which is the same situation we live in Jordan under wise Hashemite leadership that believes in and defends shared living, and a Jordanian people proud of this living among Muslims and Christians.
The event, which was attended by political figures, Muslim and Christian religious leaders, residents of the city of Lod, members from the Lod Charitable Association, and the Orthodox Culture and Education Association, held at the National Orthodox School theater, included poetic and artistic segments, in addition to a documentary film about the Season of Lod.
At the end of the ceremony, the Minister of Social Development, Wafaa Bani Mustafa, distributed commemorative shields to institutions and personalities that were honored.
