Participants at the National Dialogue forum that concluded in Hail praised Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman for the Operation Decisive Storm and underlined its importance in thwarting the expansionist designs of extremist groups.
The rotating event, which was organized by the Riyadh-based King Abdul Aziz Center for National Dialogue (KACND), dwelt on extremism and its impact on national unity.
The dialogue is part of a series of national meetings with the participation of various Saudi intellectual groups in various disciplines, sectors and media.
KACND Deputy Secretary-General Fahd Al-Sultan said that the Saudi leadership is committed to combating extremism in all its forms. The Kingdom is leading the Arab and Islamic alliance to fight extremism by Houthi rebels in Yemen.
He said the wise decision by the King was meant to protect Muslim communities from the evils of extremists. Participants have offered their prayers for the coalition forces who are fighting to save the people of Yemen.
They also called on the organization to continue such dialogues and activities that will address the extremism phenomenon and the response to protect society from destructive ideas that fuel extremism and its advocates.
They also encouraged more national unity among all spectra, and consolidating a culture of moderation and dialogue. In this context, participants have submitted various ideas and analysis of extremism.
This year, according to KACND Secretary-General Faisal Al-Muammar, the organization has been holding meetings on the subject of extremism across the Kingdom to promote a culture of dialogue and to awaken society to the risks posed by extremism to national unity.
They also debated the role of education, civil society, scholars and intellectuals in their joint endeavor to deal with the challenge of extremism to national unity. They debated the issue from all angles to check the phenomenon of extremism and promote national cohesion with the cooperation of the intelligentsia.
Al-Muammar pointed out that the meeting also discussed the role of a dialogue training academy and public opinion polls in the light of sport intolerance in Saudi society to get an overview of the problem.
They also sought through education and involvement of all institutions of society, scholars and intellectuals in the country to contribute to the subject matter and do its part in the face of this problem.
“KACND attaches special importance to extremism and looked, through these meetings, to diagnose the reality behind extremism that would allow us to cure it and promote national cohesion between all intellectual spectra,” he said.
National Dialogue backs operation
Updated 09 April 2015