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European Parliament
Brussels, Belgium, 2012
Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih V being welcomed by Martin Schulz, President of European Parliament
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul-Masih V delivers the keynote address at the European Parliament event
His Holiness leading silent prayer at conclusion of the European Parliament event.
Seated to his right: Dr. Charles Tannock (MEP-UK), left: Rafiq Hayat (National Amir AMA UK)
Press Conference with Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih V at European Parliament.
Seated with His Holiness is Dr. Charles Tannock (MEP-UK and Chair of European Parliament Friends of Ahmadiyya Muslims Group)
Tunne Kelam (MEP Estonia & Vice-Chair of European Parliament Friends of Ahmadiyya Muslims Group) meeting with His Holiness
Phil Bennion (MEP West Midlands and member of European Parliament’s South Asia Delegation) meeting with His Holiness
On 3rd and 4th December 2012, Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih V(aba), Fifth Successor to the Promised Messiah (as) and worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, made his first visit to the European Parliament in Brussels where he delivered a historic keynote address to a packed audience of more than 350 guests representing 30 countries. The event was hosted by the newly launched cross-party European Parliament “Friends of Ahmadiyya Muslims” Group, chaired by Dr. Charles Tannock (MEP-UK). This is a cross-party and pan-European group of MEPs that has been set up to promote in the European Parliament the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and advance their interests in Europe and the rest of the world. During the visit, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad(aba) also had a number of meetings with parliamentarians and dignitaries. Those he met included:
Dr. Charles Tannock (MEP-UK)—Member of the European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee, Member of the Sub-Committee on Human Rights, Vice-Chair of the Parliamentary Delegation for relations with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and Chair of the European Parliament Friends of Ahmadiyya Muslims Group.
Tunne Kelam (MEP-Estonia)—Member of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, the Sub-Committee on Security and Defence and Vice-Chair of the European Parliament Friends of Ahmadiyya Muslims Group.
Claude Moraes (MEP-UK)—Vice-Chair of the Delegation for Relations with the Arab Peninsula, Member of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, Deputy Leader of the European Parliamentary Labour Party and Vice-Chair of the European Parliament Friends of Ahmadiyya Muslims Group.
Barbara Lochbihler (MEP-Germany)—Chair of the European Parliament Sub-Committee on Human Rights.
Jean Lambert (MEP-UK)—Chair of the European Parliament South Asia Delegation.
Phil Bennion (MEP-UK)—Member of the European Parliament South Asia Delegation and Chairman of the LibDem European Group.
On 4th December, an international press conference was held in the Press Room of the European Parliament prior to the main event and a keynote address by His Holiness. His Holiness answered questions from a range of media outlets during a forty-minute press conference, attended by journalists and media organisations from UK, Spain, France, Belgium, Pakistan and other countries. In response to a question from the BBC about Islam’s role in the world, His Holiness said, “Islam’s message of peace is universal, which is why our motto is Love for All, Hatred for None.” Responding to a question from a representative of the Spanish media, His Holiness said that all of the major religions in their original form taught a message of peace and so true Muslims believed in all of the Prophets. Each Prophet, he said, brought the message that there is One God. In response to a question from a representative of Malta’s media, His Holiness said that the duty of Ahmadi Muslims was to bring mankind closer to God and to make the people of the world aware of their duty to safeguard each other’s rights.
The main event was held before a packed audience. The Chair and Vice-Chairs of the European Parliament Friends of Ahmadiyya Muslims Group all took to the stage to welcome Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad(aba), Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Martin Schulz, MEP and President of the European Parliament, also made a special visit to meet with His Holiness. Before the keynote address by His Holiness, a number of MEPs addressed the audience and spoke of their admiration of peaceful Islam as advocated by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at. Dr Charles Tannock MEP, Chair of the European Parliament Friends of Ahmadiyya Muslims Group, said “Ahmadi Muslims are a welcome example of tolerance in the world.”
We present here the historic keynote address delivered by Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad(aba), Khalifatul-Masih, Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.