Mideast can draw lessons in human rights ‘from Europe’

A 2-day scientific forum on ‘Human Rights and Private Law: Unity in Diversity,’ hosted by Qatar University (QU) concluded yesterday.
The event was organised by the French Legal Culture Club at College of Law (LAWC) in collaboration with the French embassy in Qatar, the Legal Research Institute at the University of Paris 13 Sorbonne Paris and the Laboratory of Law and Freedoms at the University of East-Paris Créteil.
Qatar’s Attorney General HE Dr Ali bin Fetais al-Marri was in attendance along with the French ambassador Eric Chevalier, LAWC dean Dr Mohamed al-Khulaifi, QU leaders, law faculty and students.
The forum was aimed at highlighting the link between human rights and private law and its branches - civil law, family law, commercial law, labour law, and the civil and commercial codes.  
There were presentations by legal experts and speakers from LAWC and several academic institutions in France on a range of related topics.
Speaking on the occasion, HE Dr al-Marri said it is regrettable that the issue of human rights is quite absent in the Middle East.  
“We should attend the European experience of the First and Second World Wars. We see now that hundreds of conflicts and disasters are happening in our region. The concept of human rights will ensure that we do not experience a third World War.
“We need to understand that we cannot exclude others because of their religion or ethnicity. It is stated clearly in Islam that religion is between the worshiper and his/her God without any mediation, and no one has the right to be in conflict with another due to his/her religious background.”
HE Dr al-Marri was of the view that the European experience can teach those in the Middle East region many lessons in terms of human rights.
“I hope that we do not pay the high price Europe has paid in maintaining its independence and peace. In the Middle East peace cannot be achieved without raising the issue of human rights and implementing it. Our diversity is our power that can help us overcome all conflicts in this region”.
Ambassador Chevallier stated that the proximity of the legal cultures and the richness of exchanges are symbols of the unique relationship that exists between Qatar and France.
The envoy noted that the forum addressed an issue of extreme importance.
“This is a subject that needs for each of us to advance a fruitful dialogue based on the universal nature of human rights.”  
Dr al-Khulaifi pointed to the forum’s importance in light of its theme that speaks fostering human rights and promoting human values.
“The economic and human development in Qatar cannot be achieved without the promotion of human rights. It is worth mentioning that achievements in Qatar and worldwide in the last few decades reflect the diversity of nationalities and partnerships which reinforce the importance of dialogue on the responsibilities of government and private sectors to preserve human rights”.
He also highlighted the College’s pioneering role to provide quality legal education in Qatar. “The College is cognisant of the importance of the rule of law and the principles of human rights”, he said, and pointed to the establishment of a Masters’ programme in Public Law last year that he said addresses a range of perspectives on the concept of human rights.   
He also noted that the College established an integrated legal clinic to provide students with invaluable experiences in the field of human rights. Students who completed the French Legal Terminology Training were honoured by the ambassador and LAWC dean.