Manama: Bahrain has emerged as a model of religious tolerance, peaceful co-existence, emancipation of women and human rights, thanks to the vision of His Majesty King Hamad.
Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) president Duarte Pacheco said that he understood quite well the practical aspects of the vision of His Majesty on tolerance, co-operation, peace, interfaith dialogue and freedom of religion.
“It’s a great honour for me to visit Bahrain for the first time and it is a completely unique experience when we see, meet, and greet people, not just leaders, but also common folks,” he said.
“We get to know more of the people when we walk on the streets, go to a restaurant and we may see from the faces of the people if they are free or not,” he told Bahrain News Agency (BNA) during his maiden visit to the kingdom.
Pacheco held meetings with the King, His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Parliament Speaker Fouzia Zainal and Shura Council Chairman Ali Saleh Al Saleh.
“It was my first meeting with the King, and I am honored to have met him,” he said.
“He has a strong personality and he is very aware of what is necessary for the country and its people. And it’s not just theoretical, but also concrete actions involving everyone to build a better country. Bahrain has people from other countries. If everyone can work here to contribute to the development of the country, that is a welcome sign.”
This also reflects a perspective of a real leader who knows what is important for the country and for its people.”
The IPU President, a Portuguese Member of Parliament since 1991, applauded Bahrain’s inclusive approach on women empowerment and said it was great to witness that His Majesty has this kind of vision because it is essential to have women representation in the political landscape of the country.
“If we wish to have a free society and a representative parliament, it’s impossible to ignore 50 per cent of the population and leave them without representation.
It’s essential to encourage women to participate and to be elected to the parliament,” he said.
Referring to general reports on the progress, economic and social development, human rights of any country, he said that the authenticity of such reports has to be validated during a visit to the country itself, “and I am very much impressed with what I have seen in Bahrain.”
&uuid=(email))