International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES), Permanent Representation to Austria and Universal Peace Federation (UPF) in cooperation with with partner organizations is inviting you to a conference on the theme

Toward Peace and Reconciliation in Syria and the Middle East - The Role of Religions

Friday, February 5th 2016, 13:00-18:00 (1:00 pm – 6:00 pm)

Vienna International Center, C-Building Boardroom D, 4^th floor

Welcome:

Sebastian KURZ, Federal Minister for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs (tbc)

Speakers:

• Hussam Abdullah H. G. AL HUSSEINI, Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to Austria
•  Rabbi Yaakov LUFT, Mevaseret Zion, Jerusalem
• Archimandrit Joseph SAGHBINI, Auxiliary Patriarchal Vicar, Greek Melkite Catholic Church, Lebanon
• Muhammad Effendi Jusuf SPAHIC, Mufti of Serbia
• Ms. Fatimah ALMUKHTAR, “Youth in today’s Iraq”
• Prof. Anis H. BAJREKTAREVIC, IFIMES Vienna, Head of Mission
• Prof. Enes BAYRAKLI, Turkish-German University Istanbul
• Dr. Ismail M. YASSIN, former Prof., Damascus University, Syria
• Dr. Leo GABRIEL, Initiative “Peace in Syria”

1^st Session: 14:00 – 15:30

A Culture of Peace versus a Culture of Violence and War, Toward an Interreligious Council at the UN

2^nd Session: 16:00 – 17:30

Programs for Peace in the Middle East, Toward Peace and Reconciliation in Syria

Ljubljana, February 1, 2016