Commentary on Peace, Security, and Human Development in the Middle East

Amman, Jordan - The Al-Etihad Al-Watani Party and the Universal Peace Federation organized an international conference [December 20-22] to explain the significance of the Amman Interfaith Message and its role in perpetuating the noble values of religions and coexistence between them.

Amman, Jordan -It was no coincidence that UPF chose to hold a conference in Amman on "The Significance of the Amman Interfaith Message." At a time when radical changes are sweeping the Arab world and efforts for peace are more needed than ever, UPF wanted to hold a conference that focused on the positive role of religion in bringing people together in peace. As the nation that produced both a major Islamic call for interfaith cooperation and the proposal that launched the United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week, Jordan seemed the obvious choice for the December 20-22 gathering.

Amman, Jordan - A peace football tournament under the patronage of former Prime Minister H.E. Faisal Fayez commemorated the International Day of Peace.

Amman, Jordan - Sponsors are invited to help underwrite a four-day tournament and character-education program for teams of Jordanian youth as well as Iraqi, Palestinian, Syrian, and Lebanese living in or near Amman.

Sahab, Jordan - Young Iraqi men in Jordan want to be able to communicate by computer with their families back home, but some are illiterate. A new project is teaching them to read and write Arabic.

I want to ask Ambassadors for Peace of the UPF to help make the Middle East a safer place to live. Ambassadors for Peace should work to build a global movement for peace for the sake of others.

Amman, Jordan  - A football tournament brought together youth from diverse communities.

In contradiction to the idea that Iraq is permanently mired in religiously-based violence, a team of Iraqi refugees living in Amman, Jordan, are proving that faith is not an enemy to peace.

In Amman, Jordan, Dr. Ghazi Tayyeb got a phone call one day last year from a friend who said, “Are you an Ambassador for Peace?” The soft-spoken former Commander-in-Chief of UN Forces in Croatia said yes.The caller replied, “Prove to me that you are really an Ambassador for Peace.”

I am originally a Palestinian. My father was a mufti, a judge, and he was a leader in our area. He always protected the Jews from any violence. A Jewish man told me this when I returned to my hometown in 1967. This man also introduced me to his father, who had known my family very well. He told me wonderful stories about how the Jews and the Muslims and the Christians all lived together in harmony and peace. He said there was a beautiful coexistence among our people.