The Union of OIC News Agencies (UNA), in cooperation with the Institutional Communication Secretariat of the Muslim World League, organized the “Ramadan Forum” in Jeddah to mark the second anniversary of the “Building Bridges Between Islamic Schools of Thought” document, highlighting global efforts to promote moderation, dialogue and intellectual unity.
The forum gathered senior Islamic scholars, media leaders and international representatives from across the world. Key participants included Muhammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, Secretary-General of the Muslim World League and Chairman of the Council of Muslim Scholars; Abdulwahab Al-Shehri, Assistant Secretary-General for Institutional Communication; and officials from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
The event was attended by directors of 32 news agencies along with media professionals and officials from OIC member states, in addition to participants representing 19 countries across Europe, South America, Australia, Canada and Africa, reflecting the forum’s global outreach.
Prior to the opening ceremony, attendees led by Dr. Al-Issa and UNA Director-General Professor Mohammed bin Abdulrab Al-Yami toured a joint exhibition showcasing the achievements, programs and future development strategies of the Muslim World League and UNA.
The forum featured documentary presentations reviewing UNA’s institutional activities as well as the international humanitarian, intellectual and cultural initiatives undertaken by the Muslim World League. The presentations highlighted efforts aimed at strengthening communication among Muslim societies and promoting balanced religious discourse.
During the forum, keynote addresses were delivered by Dr. Al-Issa, Professor Al-Yami and Al-Shehri. Speakers emphasized the importance of responsible media messaging, intellectual tolerance and constructive dialogue among Islamic schools of thought.
The launch of the book “The Makkah Document: A Message of Moderation and Tolerance to the World – A Global Presence and Civilizational Influence Across Continents” marked a major highlight of the ceremony. The publication reviews the global significance of the Makkah document and its role in promoting civilizational coexistence and scholarly collaboration.
The forum also witnessed the presentation of the first edition of the UNA Award for Media Professionalism, which was awarded to the Palestinian News Agency. The award was received by Palestine’s Permanent Representative to the OIC, Ambassador Hadi Shalabi, recognizing professional excellence in media practice.
In his welcome remarks, Professor Al-Yami described the Muslim World League as a comprehensive intellectual and scholarly reference supporting Muslim communities worldwide. He said the “Building Bridges” document was developed through the collective efforts of leading scholars representing different Islamic schools of thought near the Holy Mosque in Makkah.
Al-Yami highlighted the League’s role in promoting a balanced Islamic narrative based on moderation and tolerance. He praised UNA’s partnership with the Muslim World League, noting that joint initiatives have contributed to addressing issues affecting the Islamic world and enhancing global understanding.
He also referred to the “Jeddah Charter for Media Responsibility”, adopted during an international forum addressing the role of media in combating hatred and misinformation. The charter provides ethical guidelines for professional media practice and supports initiatives such as the UNA Award for Media Professionalism.
Expressing gratitude, Al-Yami thanked the leadership of Saudi Arabia, particularly Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, for their continued support of UNA and broader Islamic cooperation initiatives.
Professor Al-Shehri described the forum as a distinguished Ramadan gathering that combined scholarly and media perspectives in an environment encouraging intellectual exchange. He emphasized ongoing efforts by the Muslim World League to correct misconceptions about Islam and promote dialogue among cultures.
In his address, Dr. Al-Issa praised UNA for organizing the forum, describing the “Building Bridges” document as a landmark scholarly achievement supervised by eminent scholars of the Islamic world. He expressed appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s leadership in supporting Islamic and humanitarian initiatives worldwide.
