The Research Center at HII hosted an international symposium in Sofia

The Research Center at the High Islamic Institute hosted an international symposium, held in the capital on November 27 and 28 (Tuesday and Wednesday) this year.

The event was opened on November 27 in the Central Military Club with a speech on behalf of the Grand Mufti of the Republic of Bulgaria Dr. Mustafa Hadzhi. Dr. Hadzhi made in his address a detailed overview of the situation in which the Muslims in Bulgaria are, focusing in the educational process. Prof. Gwen Griffith-Dickson from Lokahi Foundation gave important guidelines about the human relationships and noted that the differences between people have to be a source of inspiration and spiritual growth.

The forum continued with reports of researchers from various parts of Europe – Great Britain, Poland, Czech Republic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as from Bulgaria. Our country was presented by Assoc. Prof. Mihail Ivanov, Robert Jerasi, Rositsa Atanasova and Dr. Arif Abdullah. Main topic of the reports was the inter-faith interaction in Europe and searching for approaches and methods in the field of education through which to build trust and efficient relationship between groups of different religious identity.

During the group work 

The second day of the international event continued with working meetings which were attended by students from the High Islamic institute, Sofia University and intellectuals from the Bulgarian society. During the debates important practices and challenges to the human relationships in different European countries were outlined. Furthermore the participants united on important principles and ethics of dialogue as means for achieving mutual understanding, mutual help and protection.

Dr. Arif Abdullah (left)

The forum was closed on November 28 by Dr. Arif Abdullah, Chairman of the Research Center at the High Islamic Institute in Sofia. In his closing speech he called not to turn religion into politics and sociology, for which identity is of the utmost importance, but to keep its spiritual core, which is universal and humanistic.

“Religion understand identity in the framework of humanism, while politics deals with humanism in the framework of identity’ – further said Dr. Arif Abdullah.