President
Adama Barrow yesterday received a visit in from the Vice Chancellor of Saudi
Arabia’s Madina University, Dr Hatim Bun Hassan El Marzuki.
Dr
Hatim Bun Hassan thanked President Adama Barrow for the Gambia hosting the
first forum of Gambian graduates of Medina University, which is taking place in
Banjul this week.Dr El Marzuki said the purpose of his visit was to express
thanks and appreciation and to promote the true principles of Islam, promote
peace and love to the world.
The
forum is being held in The Gambia to strengthen the relationship between the
University of The Gambia and the University of Madina in the areas of science
and engineering and cyber security.
The
Vice Chancellor said the King of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi government
supported Madina University students.
He
said he was encouraged that the university’s graduates returned to set up their
own institution of higher learning in their country of origin. Vice Chancellor
El Marzuki said that whilst most of those who graduate study Sharia and Dawa,
they were now expressing increasing interest in other areas like research, and
socioeconomic issues such as ‘halal’ food.
Vice
Chancellor El Marzuki called on Muslims to do away with all kinds of extremism
and to focus on promoting the true meaning of Islam.
President
Barrow welcomed the delegation and thanked the members for coming to The Gambia
to attend the forum. He said it reassured him of the goodwill towards The
Gambia. Speaking of the importance of the university, he stressed that no
country could grow without education.
President
Barrow emphasised the importance of democracy and cited the Arab Islamic
American Summit, in which different Muslim countries participated to address
extremism and terrorism. He said The
Gambia valued its democracy and explained that this was the reason why Gambians
voted for change through the ballot box last December. He said the new Gambia
would respect all protocols as a democratic nation.
The
President of the Supreme Islamic Council, Alhajie Lamin Touray, thanked the
University of Madina for conducting its selection interviews in The Gambia, as
this freed them from the logistical challenges they would face if they had to
travel to Senegal for the interviews. He seized the opportunity to appeal for
support for the Islamic University in The Gambia.
The
Islamic University of al-Madina al-Munawarah (Arabic) was founded by the
government of Saudi Arabia by royal decree in 1961 in the Islamic holy city of
Madina.
Minister
of Higher Education, Badara Joof expressed optimism that the partnership will
open opportunities for science and engineering, information and communication
technology, and mechanical engineering. The Saudi side expressed its interest
in Islamic banking and insurance. Minister Joof shared the Gambian government’s
interest in promoting peace. He said that without peace, there could be no
development.
Mr
Joof urged the rejection of all kinds of extremism. He cited the promotion of
peace by the African Union, the Organisation of Islamic Conference and other
partners. He added that Saudi Arabia was
the first country to promote globalisation as symbolised in Arafat, where
people from different cultures, social and economic class come together in
unity.
Source:
Office of the President
