On Monday 6th April the Abrahamic Forum of Portugal met to discuss “Family Values” seen through an Abrahamic perspective. We discussed the importance that values have in our lives especially the Children of Abraham but also for any other believer of even a non-believer. The present crisis was mentioned with the primary causes being among other factors greed and deregulation of the markets basically summing up in terms of Loss of Values.

We have agreed that we should promote an event under the Abrahamic Forum of Portugal and it would be a pleasure if the Three Faiths Forum could also join hands with us in this event which has the advantage of raising awareness of the three monotheistic religions working together in such an important topic.

The other point discussed was regarding assistance to the people in need be Jews, Christians or Muslims, or of any religion and also the ones who might not profess any religion at all. This would be organized through a task force composed of young people from the three religions joining hands to work with certain ONG in Portugal and making available food to those people in need.

Attendees from the meeting included Sheikh Munir (Imam of the Lisbon Mosque); Father Peter Stilwell (Office of the Patriarch of Lisbon,  Professor at the Faculty of Theology of the Catholic University of Portugal and a member of the Board of The Abrahamic Forum); Joshua Ruah (former President of the Jewish Community and President of the Audit Board of the Abrahamic Forum); myself (President of the Islamic Community and also of the Abrahamic Forum); José Carp (President of the Jewish Community and a member of the Board of the Abrahamic Forum); Alain Hayat (Member of the Jewish Community); Mahomed Abed (First Secretary of the Islamic Community).

I look forward to continuing the links we have with the Three Faiths Forum and to contributing together to fostering and strengthening the brotherly ties among the three Abrahamic Relations.

Shalom Shalom,

Abdool Magid Vakil