<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Dear All</font></div>
<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> I will send you all GAID meeting in UN</font></div>
<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"></font> </div>
<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">VISIT OF <span class="yshortcuts">POPE BENEDICT XVI</span> TO THE <span class="yshortcuts">UNITED NATIONS</span><br>
By Dr Malik Khan</font></div>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <br> Through the good offices of the <span class="yshortcuts">United Nations</span> Resource Center, Catholic News Bureau Chief Stephanie requested me to express my opinion regarding the significance of the visit of <span class="yshortcuts">Pope Benedict XVI</span> to the United States. I, secretary General Dr. Malik Khan, make the following press release on behalf of the following organizations and their Presidents.<br>
World Council of Muslim Communities (a UN-affiliated organization)<br>H.E. Dr Abdullah bin Omar Nasseef - World Muslim Congress<br>H.E. Dr Abdulla Al-Mohsin Al-Turky - Muslim World League<br>H.E .Dr Adnan Khalil Basha - International Islamic Relief Organization of <span class="yshortcuts">Saudi Arabia</span></font></font></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">H.E. Dr. Abdullah bin Omar Nasseef - International Council of Da`wah and Irshad<br>H.E. Raja Zafarul Haq - World Muslim Congress<br>and the world's Islamic peace movements, Grand Muftis, Islamic eminent scholars, teachers, imams. and all others.</font></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><br><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">PRESS RELEASE</font></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><br><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> Muslims believe in the sanctity of all the Holy Scriptures and all the prophets. Islam is the religion of peace and requires believers to live in harmony with outsiders. It preaches to "live and let live" and not to impose its ideology on others. The Holy Quran and other scriptures preach not to commit any vices and to live by the book.<br>
The historical visit of <span class="yshortcuts">Pope Benedict XVI</span> to the United States is a dynamic one that can produce a positive image for the <span class="yshortcuts">Catholic Church</span>. He can create a fateful environment of peace at the <span class="yshortcuts">United Nations</span>, enhancing its capacities for the solution of critical world problems. The Pope has counseled his own community to establish a meaningful life. We Muslims support him to act according to the Scripture. We have supported the position of the <span class="yshortcuts">Catholic Church</span> in the past on such issues as divorce, family planning, abortion, cloning, homosexuality, drug abuse, HIV/AIDS, famine, environment, and global peace. We will continue to provide this support. The President of World Council of Muslim Communities, Dr. Abdullah bin Omar Nasseef, has been taking celebrated delegations every year to the <span class="yshortcuts">Vatican</span> and has been conducting dialogues to build bridges of understanding and establish cordial relations for worthy causes on behalf of humanity. We will continue to work for the benefit of all as revealed by the Almighty. <br>
As distortions of the religions, spreading non-truth and promotion of vice have created chaos in the world, it is expected that the <span class="yshortcuts">Catholic Church</span> shall make due determinations to stem them. We therefore would like to take this opportunity to bring to the attention of the leader of the Church to prompt the people of goodwill to consciously move forward in the service of mankind in the pertinent disciplines.<br>
Amongst other things, workable programs should be instituted in such areas as eradication of poverty and hunger, protection of the environment and ecology, uplifting of science and technology, advancement of finance and economics, and promotion of education and knowledge. Bounties of nature, therefore, ought to be equitably distributed amongst all the nations.<br>
The Pope's visit to the UN is significant for the <span class="yshortcuts">Catholic Church</span> to address various questions. Therefore, his role in solving these world problems is vital. In this, we will continue to cooperate with him and with the Church to usher in a better future for Planet Earth and mankind. In essence, they ought to aggressively promote the Millennium Development Goals. But there are problems beyond these which have to be addressed. Misinformation on all counts (e.g., industrial innovations, consumers' market, genetics, drugs) is promoting disorder and disillusionment on a gigantic scale.<br>
One-third of children in broken and single-parent houses are pushed to war, and then on their return, they commit suicide. The health care system is geared not to the poor, but to the rich. Poverty eradication requires education, new syllabus, technology geared for better agricultural production, technology geared to give correct information, and pharmaceuticals geared to cheaper treatments. Every day 35,000 people are dying at the hands of <span class="yshortcuts">AIDS</span>, which should be adequately controlled.<br>
The double-headed monster of cloning is on its way to the market, which will destroy marriages, promote unwanted children, and instill chaos, violence, fights, lawsuits, and further spread of diseases of untold dimension.<br>
Numerous altruistic projects to correct the prevailing difficulties in socio-cultural, financio-economic, religio-spiritual, eco-environmental, and various other fields could be hoisted to protect human well-being.</font></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><br><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> <br>ISLAM AND THE ENVIRONMENT<br>By Dr Malik khan <br></font><a href="http://us.mc457.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=worlddialogue@yahoo.com" target="_blank"><span class="yshortcuts"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">worlddialogue@yahoo.com</font></span></a></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><br><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">I, Secretary-General Dr. Malik Khan, make the following press release on behalf of the following organizations and their Presidents joins me in this communiqué individual and collectively.<br>
World Council of Muslim Communities (a UN-affiliated organization)<br>H.E. Dr Abdullah bin Omar Nasseef - World Muslim Congress<br>H.E. Dr Abdulla Al-Mohsin Al-Turky - Muslim World League<br>H.E .Dr Adnan Khalil Basha - International Islamic Relief Organization of <span class="yshortcuts">Saudi Arabia</span></font></font></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">H.E. Dr. Abdullah bin Omar Nasseef - International Council of Da`wah and Irshad<br>H.E. Raja Zafarul Haq - World Muslim Congress<br>and the world's Islamic peace movements, Grand Muftis, Islamic eminent scholars, teachers, imams. and all others.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break">
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break"></font></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">The Interfaith Partnership for Environment, the <span class="yshortcuts">United Nations</span> Environment Program (UNEP) monitors the interrelated elements of the Earth agenda: water, land, health, air, industry, land mines, waste disposal, and the well-being of humanity. </font></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">No nation has any right to despoil the planet and its atmosphere. Of special significance, because of acute dangers connected to it, is nuclear proliferation. No nation has the right to conduct atomic experiments, make atomic bombs, stockpile or transfer atomic facilities, kill God's creatures, and destroy the Earth. All nations should completely destroy their atomic warheads, and, indeed, all <span class="yshortcuts">weapons of mass destruction</span>, including chemical and biological weapons.</font></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">The Holy Quran declares that unity, trusteeship and accountability, that is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">tawheed</i><sup>[1]</sup>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">khilafah</i><sup>[2]</sup>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">akhirah</i><sup>[3]</sup>, the three central concepts of Islam, are also the pillars of the environmental ethics of Islam. They constitute the basic values taught by the <span class="yshortcuts">Qur'an</span>. It is these values which led Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam, to say: "Whoever plants a tree and diligently looks after it until it matures and bears fruit is rewarded," and "There is none amongst the Muslims who plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, but is regarded as a charitable gift from him"[4] and again, "The world is green and beautiful and Allah has appointed you his stewards over it." Environmental consciousness is born when such values are adopted and become an intrinsic part of our mental and physical makeup.</font></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">People need to return to this nexus of values to sustain and nourish the Earth and its creatures. Holding this way of understanding of themselves and their environment, they will contribute their share to the general well-being here and hereafter. The notions of unity, trusteeship and accountability should not be reduced to matters of personal piety. They must guide all aspects of life and work. Shariah (Islamic law) must not be relegated just to issues of crime and punishment. It must also become the vanguard for environmental legislation. When it is often said that Islam is a complete way of life, is meant that our ethical systems provide the bearings for all our actions. Yet our actions often undermine the very values we cherish. We must instead judge our actions by them. They furnish us with a world-view which enables us to ask environmentally appropriate questions, draw up the right balance sheet of possibilities, properly weigh the environmental costs and benefits of what we want, what we can do within the ethical boundaries established by Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala, without violating the rights of His other creations. If we use the same standards, the same understanding in our work as we do to know ourselves as adherents of Godly creeds and in particular as Muslims - those who subject themselves to the Will of Allah - then, I believe, we will create a true Islamic paradigm, a caring and practical way of being, doing and knowing environmentally conducive acts and shunning destructive ones.</font></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Water quality is one of the hot issues of the current century. Economic development needs water; agriculture demands water; life depends on water. There could be no power and industry without water. The oceans, coral reefs, coastal areas, and fragile islands are being hurt by rapidly rising coastal pollution. U.N. agencies are working together to protect the marine environment against radioactive substances, nutrients and sediment mobilization, oils and litter, physical alterations, sewage, persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals. We must respect and take care of our oceans, bearing in mind the Quranic saying: "It is He Who has made the sea subject that ye may eat thereof flesh that is fresh and tender and that ye may extract therefrom ornaments to wear; and thou seest the ships therein that plough the waves, that ye may seek (thus) of the bounty of Allah and that ye may be grateful." (16:14)</font></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">We need a global program of action to correct the course for mankind to have a safe and healthy environment. Global climate changes are taking place. Humanity has to take proper measures to safeguard the Earth's ecology, using science to make sound political decisions to protect the land by means such as reforestation, etc. We have to conserve biological diversity in order to protect life on the planet. Sustainable economic development coupled with protection of biodiversity can be achieved only by the concerted action of all nations. </font></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">The <span class="yshortcuts">Quran</span> mentions in 56:59, "Is it ye who create it, or are We the Creator?" reminding the current age to manage biotechnology safely. Patenting life forms has opened a hornet's nest of moral, legal, social, and scientific concerns. The world's species have to be protected, and biosafety is essential. Public concern is growing about the potential risks of biotechnology. <br>
The <span class="yshortcuts">Quran</span> warns us, "And follow not the bidding of those who are extravagant /Who make mischief in the land, and mend not (their ways) .." ( 26:151-152). Hazardous waste and toxic chemicals need attention. To reduce chemical risks is vital for sustainable development.</font></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">The environmentalists are also warning about the human family. The poor, politically powerless in urban ghettoes, rural pockets, and indigenous strains demand justice to combat the "environmental racism" of selective abuse and neglect of their land. </font></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Interfaith action for cooperation and responsibility to help the world's refugee crisis is a challenge that needs attention. We all have to be prepared with effective means to combat problems, issues, and conflicts.</font></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Allah (S.W.T.) has appointed man as a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">khalifa</i>, a guardian and a vicegerent on Earth. Islam offers an opportunity for understanding the natural order and human responsibility, within its principles of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">tawhid</i> (the unity of the Creator), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">fitra</i> (humanity's place in creation), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">mizan</i> (moderation and reason with justice), and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">khilafah</i> (stewardship). The message of Al-Islam in the Holy Quran gives the signs of scientific technology:</font></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0.5in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> <br>Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one Unit of Creation), before We clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? (21:30)<br style="mso-special-character: line-break">
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break"></font></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0.5in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">O Children of Adam! Wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer: eat and drink: But waste not by excess, for Allah loveth not the wasters. (7:31)<br>
<br>and<br> <br>(Allah) Most Gracious!<br>It is He Who has taught the <span class="yshortcuts">Quran</span>.<br>He has created man:<br>He has taught him speech (and Intelligence).<br>The sun and the moon follow courses (exactly) computed;<br>
And the herbs and the trees both (alike) bow in adoration.<br>And the Firmament has He raised high, and He has set up the Balance (of Justice),<br>In order that ye may not transgress (due) balance,<br>So establish weight with justice and fall not short in the balance.<br>
It is He Who has spread out the earth for (His) creatures:<br>Therein is fruit and date-palms, producing spathes (enclosing dates);<br>Also corn, with (its) leaves and stalk for fodder, and sweet-smelling plants.<br>Then which of the favors of your Lord will ye deny? (55:1-13)<br>
</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">The knowledge of creation is the basis of environmental teachings in the Holy Quran. For example, it is forbidden in Islam to waste water. Even when one is performing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">wudu</i> (ablutions for prayers), he is required to use as little water as possible and not to waste it. Allah (S.W.T.) will give to that (water-conserving) person rewards here and in the hereafter.<br>
Motamar Al-Alam Al-Islami (World Muslim Congress) has always been in the forefront of working with the <span class="yshortcuts">United Nations</span>, world religious organizations, and national governments on environmental and ecological issues. Its president, Dr. Abdullah bin Omar Nasseef, has been the pioneer environmentalist. Motamar's representatives have always attended conferences to enhance the <span class="yshortcuts">United Nations</span>' programs as well as other environmental parleys in Islamic countries. Motamar also sent a delegation to the United Nations Conference on the Environment and Development (the "Earth Summit", <span class="yshortcuts">Rio de Janeiro</span>, June 1992), which, by way of their various interventions, opened new avenues of cooperation among all peoples.<br>
<br><sup>[1]</sup> Monotheism<br><sup>[2]</sup> Vicegerent<br><sup>[3]</sup> The Hereafter<br><sup>[4]</sup> Hadith (Tradition of the Prophet) 1071 [3:513-O.B], The Book of Cultivation and Agriculture, from Sahih Al-Bukhari, Darul Ahya Us-Sunnah Al-Nabawiya, Pahari Bhojla, <span class="yshortcuts">Delhi</span><span class="yshortcuts">, India</span>: 1994</font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">II. Proposals by Respective NGOs</font></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .25in"><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="mso-list: Ignore"><font size="3">1.</font><span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span><font size="3"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">In the following, we shall discuss the proposal(s) made by the fourteen Asian NGOs, most of them with substantial African experience, on the theme of the "Role of the United Nations System in Supporting the Efforts of African Countries to Achieve Sustainable Development." We begin with the NGOs based outside of Japan, and then turn attention to the NGOs based in Japan.</span> </font></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .25in"><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="mso-list: Ignore"><font size="3">2.</font><span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><font size="3">The World Muslim Congress (WMC), based in Pakistan, recognizes that today's humanity as a whole - including both the developing world and the industrialized countries - are facing grave problems. To improve the situation, the UN should confront "the scourges of drug abuse and alcoholism, which are the basic causes of domestic violence, fatal health problems, destruction of the institution of family, and economic stress, as well as premarital and extramarital affaires, which further cause health hazards such as HIV/AIDS, the problem of unwanted pregnancies and the rising incidence of divorce." Additionally, the battle against "the threat to environmental deterioration, which was addressed by the Kyoto Agreement, needs further support and boost by the UN through information programs organized especially by the NGOs." (This statement is also endorsed by the World Council of Muslim Communities.) By Dr Malik Khan</font></span></font></p>
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<div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Apr 14, 2008 at 3:57 PM, CONGO WSIS - Philippe Dam <<a href="mailto:wsis@ngocongo.org">wsis@ngocongo.org</a>> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">[Please note that by using 'REPLY', your response goes to the entire list. Kindly use individual addresses for responses intended for specific people]<br>
<br>Click <a href="http://wsis.funredes.org/plenary/" target="_blank">http://wsis.funredes.org/plenary/</a> to access automatic translation of this message!<br>_______________________________________<br><br><br>Dear all,<br>
<br>Find attached some complementary information on Action Line Facilitation<br>meetings moderated by UN-DESA (AL- C1, AL- C7 and AL- C11).<br><br>Best regards,<br><br>Ph<br><br>Philippe Dam<br>CONGO - Information Society &<br>
Human Rights Coordinator<br>11, Avenue de la Paix<br>CH-1202 Geneva<br>Tel: +41 22 301 1000<br>Fax: +41 22 301 2000<br>E-mail: <a href="mailto:philippe.dam@ngocongo.org">philippe.dam@ngocongo.org</a><br>Website: <a href="http://www.ngocongo.org/" target="_blank">www.ngocongo.org</a><br>
<br>-----Message d'origine-----<br>De : Adriana Ribeiro [mailto:<a href="mailto:ribeiroa@un.org">ribeiroa@un.org</a>] De la part de Haiyan Qian<br>Envoyé : mardi, 8. avril 2008 17:44<br>À : Action Line Facilitation Meetings of WSIS<br>
Objet : Action Line Facilitation Meetings of WSIS, Geneva, 22 May 2008<br><br><br>Dear All,<br><br> Pursuant to the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society, UNDESA is<br> playing a facilitating role for the implementation of specific Action<br>
Lines of the WSIS Plan of Action.<br><br> In this context, I am pleased to invite you to participate in the<br> following Action Line Facilitation Meetings organized by UNDESA that<br> will be held during the cluster of WSIS-related events from 13 to 23 May<br>
2008 in Geneva:<br><br><br><br> - Third Facilitation Meeting on Action Line C1 - The role of public<br> governance authorities and all stakeholders in the promotion of ICTs for<br> development, 22 May 2008 (10:00 AM-1:00 PM), Room C1, ITU Headquarters,<br>
Geneva.<br><br> - Third Facilitation Meeting on Action Line C7 – ICT Applications –<br> E-government, 22 May 2008 (2:00 PM-4:00 PM), Room C1, ITU Headquarters,<br> Geneva.<br><br> - Third Facilitation Meeting on Action Line C11 – International and<br>
Regional Cooperation, 22 May 2008 (4:00 PM-6:00 PM), Room C1, ITU<br> Headquarters, Geneva.<br><br> Please find attached the drafted Agenda of the Meetings.<br>(See attached file: Agenda WSIS Third Facilitation Meetings<br>
C1-C7eGov-C11.doc)<br><br> For the updated Agenda and for further information on the meetings and<br> on the registration/badge request process, please visit our website:<br> <a href="http://www.unpan.org/post-WSIS-C1-C7home.asp" target="_blank">http://www.unpan.org/post-WSIS-C1-C7home.asp</a>.<br>
<br> Please note that due to limited resources, the United Nations would not<br> be able to fund your participation. To confirm your interest in<br> participating, please email us at <a href="mailto:ubaldi@un.org">ubaldi@un.org</a> or <a href="mailto:cherkasov@un.org">cherkasov@un.org</a>.<br>
<br> I take this opportunity to send my highest regards and look forward to<br> receiving your positive reply.<br><br> Sincerely yours,<br><br> Haiyan Qian<br>(Embedded image moved to file: pic49004.gif)<br><br><br>_______________________________________________<br>
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