Religious Pluralism and Its Impact on Shaping Strategic Visions for the State and Society

Ishtar Center Hosts His Eminence Sayyid Dr. Jawad Al-Khoei in a Closed Roundtable Discussion Ishtar Center for Democracy Support hosted His Eminence Sayyid Dr. Jawad Al-Khoei, Secretary-General of Dar Al-Ilm for Imam Al-Khoei, at its headquarters in Baghdad for a closed roundtable discussion titled: “Religious Pluralism and Its Impact on Shaping Strategic Visions for the State and Society.” The roundtable brought together a group of research and religious elites, along with heads and representatives of intellectual and political institutions concerned with this field. Dr. Al-Khoei delivered a lecture addressing the intellectual foundations upon which approaches of moderation and balance in the Najaf Seminary were built, placing them within their historical context. He warned against the risks of intellectual monism and the monopolization of public space, and discussed the principles for engaging with those who hold different views within the framework of higher national interests. He also emphasized the importance of reflecting these principles in the visions and strategies adopted by institutions working in public affairs—whether intellectual, social, political, or media-related—and stressed the vital role of elites in fostering environments conducive to rationality and in reducing the space for extremism in order to build a better reality. Participants enriched the discussion with a wide range of interventions and insights. The outcomes of the roundtable will be published sequentially on the Center’s official website.