Katara - the Cultural Village Foundation recently organised a two-day conference, titled ‘English Da’wah Skills’, in co-operation with Sheikh Thani Bin Abdullah Foundation for Humanitarian Services (RAF).
The conference was hosted by Dr Khaled Ibrahim al-Dousari, born in Bahrain but of Saudi origin. He holds a PhD degree in business management and two masters degrees in sciences and human resources from the US, as well as a diploma from the Education College majoring in language from King Saud University.
Dr Dousari recently worked for Aramco in Saudi Arabia as a supervisor on vocational education.
The lecture delivered by him at Katara highlighted the benefits of a 36-hour programme, spanning over eight weeks consisting mostly of workshops, aiming to develop and maximise individuals’ skills.
He said: “We should develop international leaders to introduce Islam since we are facing criticism in addition to the West’s perception of us.
“We should be a moving Islam exhibition in any place and time. As Muslims, we cannot separate religion from our lives. Islam is not just a religion; it is a way of life.”
He stressed in his speech that the human being is the most important element in the world. “Thus, we should develop our communication skills and capacities.”
He declared that the misuse of Islam by some people gives a wrong impression and when extending the message, “we should ensure to transfer it in a correct manner”.
He mentioned that the person who learns and teaches gets further educated, and each person succeeding in intercultural communication assists in building a peaceful future for the whole world.
Dr Dousari said many people speak English fluently and have knowledge about Islam but are unable to communicate efficiently in English on the subject of Islam due to the lack of appropriate terms known to them. “The principal aim of this session is to support efficient communication in any intercultural meeting.”
At the end of the conference, the participants would acquire skills for improving Islamic culture and efficient communication in addition to the ability to discuss Islamic concepts in English and even provide short presentations regarding Islam on any chosen subject.
The conference has also contributed to raising awareness about the importance of language in any given intercultural meeting.
