TRIPOLI, November 26 (Mercy for Mankind) – The
seventh general conference of the World Islamic Call Society took off
Friday, November 26, 2004, with the participation of some 500 figures,
representing great scholars, Muftis, Sufi Sheikhs and heads of Islamic
organizations and associations, from 120 countries.
The conference is also attended by a number of
guests, including political leaders, directors or regional and international
organizations, in addition to Muslim and Christian intellectuals.
The session started after Maghreb prayer,
around 19:00 Tripoli Local Time (17:00, GMT).
All guests stood up as the band played the Libyan national anthem (Allah is
Great), then verses from the Noble Qur'an were recited.
Secretary of the International Organizations and
Conferences Office in the World Council of Islamic Call (WCIC), Ibrahim
Al-Rabo, then introduced attorney Ibrahim Al-Ghowail who delivered the opening speech.
Al-Ghowail welcomed the "honorable guests of the seventh general conference"
and touched on a quick historical back ground on the previous six general
conferences of the WICS.
The first general conference was held in September
1970 in Tripoli and was attended by representatives of Muslim countries and
a big number of intellectuals and thinkers. It resulted in the establishment
of the WICS, Al-Ghowail recalled.
He also explained how the WICS was established according to a special law,
exempting it from all other state laws, so as to preserve the privacy and
greatness of the call.
He said further that the second general conference
was held 12 years later, following which general conferences have been held
regularly every four years till the current session.
Insisting the WICS targets the good of all humans,
as "we look at humanity as one whole, entity", Al-Ghowail said the aim
of the society remains to spread the call in the best and wisest way.
This of course makes it imperative on us to
provide the best conditions for Muslim callers to be able to do their job,
he added.
Al-Ghowail then declared that all members of the
general assembly were present, making the general conference in its seventh
session ready to get started.
He further declared the door was open for any
other Islamic organization or institution to join the WICS that chooses the
members of the World Council of Islamic Call every four years.
Al-Ghowail then announced the official start of
the conference.
Mostly ceremonial speeches were then delivered by
some remarkable guests of the conference.Al-Rabo then introduced
vice-president of the Philippines, Nouri Di Castro, who hailed the role
played by the WICS in the Philippines, especially in the troubled south.
Director general of the Arab League Educational,
Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALESCO), Dr. Mungi Bu Snaineh, from
Tunisia, then delivered a speech.
Guests have started showing up in the marvelously
prepared Conference Hall in Zat El-Imad Complex overlooking the
Mediterranean, almost two hours before the official opening.
Despite the relatively big number of guests,
entering the building containing the highly equipped hall was very smooth,
reflecting the accuracy of organization by the conference officials.
