Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
The Collective Voice of The Muslim World
Date: 20/01/2011
In coordination with the International Red Cross Organization and a number of OIC partners in humanitarian action, the Organization of the Islamic Conference concluded on Wednesday 19 January 2011, a three-day seminar which was held at the OIC General Secretariat in Jeddah, on the subject of International Humanitarian Law and how it compares to Islamic Sharia. The opening session was attended by a number of Member States’ consuls and permanent representatives as well as representatives of humanitarian organizations and other figures interested in humanitarian action, in addition to the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), The Islamic Solidarity Fund (ISF), Effat College, and Darul Hikma College in Jeddah. The Seminar reviewed the subject of international law, its genesis, its historical development and its positive impact on human rights action, particularly in times of war and crises. During the seminar, Dr. Amer Zamali, Senior advisor at the International Red Cross Organization, and keynote speaker, outlined the role of the International Committee of the Red Cross in disseminating international humanitarian law. The second part of the seminar was devoted to a comparative study between Islamic Sharia and International Humanitarian Law, given that Islam has indeed laid rules for international humanitarian law many centuries before the rise of learning and knowledge in 19th century Europe. Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference received at the end of the seminar, the delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross and expressed appreciation for their attendance and participation in the seminar whose studies will have practical results in future such as to consolidate fruitful cooperation between the two organizations in the humanitarian area.
