Thank you very much!

It has been an honor to be the host this event in the frame of the Aqaba Process. Unfortunately, King Abdullah of Jordan couldn’t attend due to a need at home, but we have had the very beautiful company of his Royal Highness, Prince Ghazi, and also the participation of the Prime Minister of Bulgaria, who is also nowadays; his country has the Presidency of European Union, which has created I think a very good frame of discussion, and with the presence also of many other honorable guests, last but not least, the Prime Minister of Kosovo.

So, we have been gathering to discuss something which is very sensitive and also of a strategic importance in a country like Albania, where religious tolerance is a real treasure, that as Pope Francis named it, a real fraternity. But, at the meantime we are very much aware this is a treasure we need to protect and at the same to time deal with the needs that we have that our kids and the next generations be aware of such fantastic treasure.

We have gone through different challenges that different countries face in different levels. But, in the same time, I think there is a common understanding that independently from the way the challenge of violent extremism and radicalization is faced and has appeared, every country need also to deal with it, with the need to protect values and principles of the life we have all chosen.

I prefer not to take longer, because I am sure that his Highness has much more interesting things to say in this matter and I very willingly give him my part of the time because there are so beautiful things he could say on the matter and are so many simple and revealing facts and information that he can bring out that are really worth listening.

So by thanking everyone for your presence and by underlining again our strong will to work hand to hand with everyone that is engaged in this battle for our civilization, I would very happily pass the floor to His Royal Highness, Prince Ghazi.

* * *

It is true that we have this beautiful heritage and its sounds sometimes quite amazing, when in one hand one can see this interfaith fraternity and on the other hand, the inter political lack of fraternity.

But, as a matter of fact, what is very important nowadays is to understand that this is not for granted. Is a heritage that has been built generation after generation in very different and sometimes tragic circumstances, but should not be taken for granted.

And in a time of turbulences like our time is even more important to do everything to make sure that our kids and the kids of kids become aware of how precious is such an heritage and protect it.

For that, we need to find ways to pass this message and to make sure that they understand it, because the balances are always fragile in that respect and is not needed much to see them change and to see things go in the wrong direction.

So, we are trying to do our best and we will continue to do so. Of course there are not magic solutions, but there are a lot of good practices and that’s why I was so much eager to be part and to make Albania part of this fantastic invention which is the Aqaba Process and to have here is Highness, because this is a different angle to tackle the problem.

When we think about terrorism and radicalism we always tend to think that is a matter of a very clear divisive line and it’s a matter of tackling it upfront and it’s a matter of the ultimate game of forces, but in fact, in its fundament it’s a war that happens in the heart of people.

So, winning the hearts and minds of peoples is much more complicated that winning a battle in the field or occupying a territory or eradicating from a territory a maleficent force for a while.

So it’s an ongoing battle and with what’s happening with the technology, and with the internet and social networks, the battle is not going to be easier, is going to be more difficult.

It has to start in my view with the kids and to give them the tools to understand and take their own positions. To understand who is a Muslim, who is Christian, who is a Catholic, Sunni, and Shia and why, what are the difference, etc.

This is not about religious education, but the culture of our days. Its contemporary culture that is missing and sometimes, the young generations seem to be deprived from the very elementary tools to deal with an event or to deal with a form of propaganda or to judge about one opinion or the other that may go in the wrong direction.

So we have that heritage, but we need to take care of it and the most important part of it is to make sure that the others will continue to take care of it. Because I don’t want our kids and the kids of our kids, to be in that regards towards this heritage as spoiled as some Europeans are towards the heritage of EU.

This is what I don’t want to see. Thank you!