Following the attack on Saint George’s Greek Orthodox Church in Karak, Jordan, on 23 October, the International Dialogue Centre – KAICIID and the Interreligious Platform for Dialogue and Cooperation in the Arab World (IPDC) have issued separate statements condemning the violence and expressing their solidarity with the victims, their families and the people of Jordan.

Statement by KAICIID following the on the attack against a Church in Jordan

The International Dialogue Centre – KAICIID strongly condemns the attack against a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, Jordan, that took place on the 23rd of October, as members of the community gathered for a funeral.

We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and the people of Jordan. Our thoughts are with those injured and all those affected by this act of violence.

Places of worship must remain spaces of prayer, reflection and peace. Attacks against these sacred spaces are an offence on human dignity and the fundamental right that everyone holds to practise their religion or belief freely and without fear.

KAICIID reiterates the importance of safeguarding religious sites, protecting religious communities and ensuring freedom of religion or belief for all people, always. These are the principles reflected in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

At a time when communities are increasingly confronted with intolerance and division, we must act with the utmost responsibility and uphold the dignity of all religious communities. Violence must never be allowed to undermine mutual respect and peaceful coexistence.

KAICIID stands in solidarity with the people of Jordan and our friends in the region and calls on all to reject violence and hatred, protect places of worship and continue working together to strengthen dialogue and understanding.

Statement by the Interreligious Platform for Dialogue and Cooperation in the Arab Region Condemns Terrorist Attack in Jordan, Calls for Protection of Sacred Sites and Safeguarding Social Peace

The Interreligious Platform for Dialogue and Cooperation in the Arab Region (IPDC) strongly condemns the terrorist attack targeting Saint George’s Church in Karak Governorate, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, which claimed innocent lives and left others injured. The Platform stresses that this attack constitutes a flagrant violation of the sanctity of human life and sacred sites and poses a serious threat to the values of peaceful coexistence, tolerance and mutual respect.

The Platform reaffirms its unequivocal rejection of all forms of terrorism, violence and extremism, emphasising that targeting innocent people based on their religious affiliation goes against to religious teachings and universal human values. Such crimes seek to spread fear, sow discord and undermine social cohesion, underscoring the urgent need for concerted efforts by religious leaders and institutions to counter hate speech and incitement, while promoting a culture of interreligious dialogue, human fraternity and common citizenship.

The Platform further underscores the importance of preserving Jordan’s social cohesion, strengthening solidarity among all and ensuring that such acts of terrorism do not undermine the longstanding relations between Muslims and Christians. It calls upon religious leaders, media organisations and civil society institutions to fulfil their responsibilities in promoting tolerance and mutual respect and countering any attempts to fuel division or threaten social peace.

The Platform extends its heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies to the families of the victims and the people of Jordan, expressing its full solidarity with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in confronting terrorism and extremism, and wishing the injured a prompt recovery. It reiterates that protecting sacred sites and safeguarding human dignity and freedom of religion are common human and moral responsibilities that require sustained cooperation among religious leaders and institutions.

The Interreligious Platform for Dialogue and Cooperation in the Arab Region was launched in February 2018 at the initiative of the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID). As the first platform of its kind in the Arab region, it works to promote a culture of interreligious dialogue and peaceful coexistence, and to strengthen social cohesion, guided by the principles of common citizenship and respect for diversity. Through these efforts, the Platform seeks to contribute to a better future for humanity, grounded in peace and strengthened by the values of tolerance, interreligious dialogue, acceptance of others and mutual respect among nations and peoples.