SARAJEVO - The President of Bosnia Herzegovina Haris Silajdzic has challenged Muslims all over the world to engage in serious dialogue with followers of other faiths and civilizations as the only way of stopping global misunderstanding about the religion.

Silajdzic who was addressing the 19th session of the World Muslim Call society said "dialogue was also the only means in which radicalism among some Islamic communities would be stopped.”

The message was carried by the Mufti of Rwanda Sheik Saleh Habimana who represented Rwanda at the session that took place in Sarajevo the Bosnian capital from 27th to 1 June.

In an email correspondence Habimana who returned to Rwanda yesterday (Monday) after attending the meeting said the Bosnian leader was briefed about the issues and events leading up to the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda.

Habimana said he was part of an African delegation which was headed by Dr. Muhamed Ahmed Sheriff, the general secretary general of the World Islamic Call Society.  

In a closed door meeting with the Bosnian leader, Sheriff explained about the 1994 Rwandan Genocide and related it to the Srebrenica Massacre, also known as Srebrenica Genocide which took place in July 1995 exactly a year after the Rwanda Genocide.

An estimated 10,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were murdered in a single day by the Serbian soldiers under the command of General Ratko Mladic during the Bosnian war.

Bosnian has since acquired independence from Serbia and Montenegro and is currently negotiating its accession to the EU.

At the conference, Sheriff also highlighted Rwanda’s achievements since the 1994 Genocide saying that the; " Rwandan people had overcome the fear and death and Kigali was now a bustle of activity and a model city for security and hygiene in the Sub Saharan region.”

He added that the clear visionary leadership of President Paul Kagame had ensured stability and reconciliation among the people of Rwanda.

The Mufti of Bosnia agreed to send 5 survivors of the Srebrenica Massacre who will participate in commemoration events ending the 14th anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide in July organized by the Rwandan Muslim Association. This will also be marking 12 years since the Srebrenica genocide.

Formed in 1972, the World Islamic Call Society is an international organization based in Libya that unites Muslim across the globe in finding lasting solutions to community problems. The society also seeks to support Islamic societies in identifying Islamic civilization and culture in the world.

Ends