This morning, IMES’ Middle East Conference (MEC) 2013, “Your Rights & My Responsibilities: Biblical and Islamic Perspectives on Human Rights” kicks off and promises to be a very illuminating, if at times very challenging conference. For a brief overview of the conference, conference themes and program of events, please follow the links below:
Please return to this page often for regular updates and reflections, or if you wish to comment and discuss MEC 2013 topics and themes.
Welcome!
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1) Opening Session: Speaker Introduction and Conversation. [10:00-11:30am].
The international speakers for MEC2013 are currently on stage introducing themselves, including their history, background, motivations and personal journey towards the study of and/or advocacy for human rights and human rights related issues.
International Speakers at MEC 2013 are as follow:
Questions now being discussed include:
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2) Theological & Biblical Foundations for Human Rights Based Approaches [12:00 – 1:30pm]
Presenter: Paul Fiddes
Session Purpose: To trace the historical development of the human rights paradigm, focusing on philosophical, theological and Biblical influences that have led to a contemporary understanding of human rights within ‘Western’ and/or ‘Christian’ thought.
Questions Being Addressed:
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3) Seminars from Human Rights Activists in Lebanon [3:00 – 5:00pm]
Session Purpose: To hear from NGO workers currently engaged in human rights activism, gaining first hand insight as to what they do, why they do it, and how concerned persons might themselves get involved.
Presentations:
Questions Being Addressed:
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4) Human Rights in Global Perspective: Applying UN Charters on Human Rights in the 21st Century [5:00 – 6:30pm]
Session Purpose: To explore the contemporary implications of the human rights framework within international legislation and how such legislation is implemented within present-day contexts, introducing participants to the various dimensions of human rights as relating to specific issues and people groups.
Presentation: Fadi Abi Allam
Questions Being Addressed:
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5) Individual Rights vs. Social Responsibility: Muslim & Christian Perspectives [8:00 – 9:30pm]
Session Purpose: To gain insight as to how Muslim communities seek to protect minorities and those at the margins of society, exploring the key Islamic foundations for such beliefs and practices and how such views may/may not be similar to ‘Christian’ and/or ‘Western’ understandings of human rights.
Discussants:
Questions Being Addressed:
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