Doha, July 08 (QNA) – The State of Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, participated in the 42nd meeting of the Standing Committee of Experts in Islamic Affairs and Endowments in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and the 13th meeting of the committee responsible for presenting the true image of Islam and confronting campaigns of hatred, intolerance, extremism and sectarianism.
Held via videoconference, the meetings brought together representatives of ministries and authorities responsible for Islamic affairs and endowments across GCC member states as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen regional cooperation and integration in Islamic affairs, endowment development and intellectual security.
Qatar’s delegation was headed by Director of the Department of Islamic Affairs Mohammed Jabr Al Mannai and included Assistant Director General of the General Department of Endowments Eng. Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Meer.
The 42nd meeting reviewed a range of initiatives, proposals and working papers designed to enhance Islamic affairs and endowment systems while increasing their developmental and social impact.
Among the key proposals discussed was the Gulf Endowment Week initiative, intended to serve as a joint awareness platform highlighting the developmental and civilizational role of endowments. Delegates also reviewed the Mafaz Competition, which aims to encourage greater awareness of endowment, charitable and voluntary work, as well as a proposal to establish a national index to measure the impact of endowments on society, supporting stronger governance, transparency and management efficiency.
Participants also examined a framework for exchanging expertise and successful practices in Islamic affairs among GCC member states, promoting knowledge sharing and institutional cooperation. Additional discussions focused on the architectural identity of mosque minarets, balancing authenticity with modern development, and strengthening Arab cultural dialogue between East and West to reinforce the civilizational role of Islamic institutions.
The 13th committee meeting focused on presenting the true image of Islam and strengthening Gulf cooperation in combating hate speech, intolerance, extremism and sectarianism while promoting moderation, coexistence and balanced Islamic discourse.
Delegates reviewed a proposal by the GCC General Secretariat to establish a Gulf scientific observatory dedicated to monitoring abuse of Islam, hate speech and extremist content across traditional and digital media platforms. The initiative would benefit from regional and international expertise to improve monitoring, analysis and coordinated responses.
The meeting also explored mechanisms for cooperation with specialized observatories and institutions combating extremism, while exchanging experiences on best practices in preventing radicalization and countering hate speech.
Participants further discussed developments related to confronting deviant ideologies through preventive awareness programmes, institutional partnerships and coordinated initiatives designed to protect young people from extremist ideas and emerging intellectual challenges.
The meetings concluded by reaffirming the importance of unified Gulf efforts in Islamic affairs, endowment development and intellectual security. Participants stressed the need to launch joint initiatives that strengthen moderation, tolerance, coexistence and community awareness while preserving the Gulf region’s cultural and religious identity and supporting sustainable development goals.