After months of confronting the Corona pandemic, strategic experts assert that this pandemic will have major impacts on the lives of countries and peoples alike, and research centers around the globe published several forecasts on the “post-Corona” stage, and confirm that “it will not be the same as what preceded it”.

Bahrain Interfaith believes that the whole world is challenged with a historic and exceptional opportunity to resolve crises and counter all their causes provided wisdom, rationality, good will, just governance and political insight is demonstrated by leaders around the world.

Bahrain Interfaith believes that this historic opportunity applies to Bahrain as well, and believes that Bahrain is one of the countries most capable of achieving a positive transition to overcome the causes of tension in the past and achieve social stability, justice and peace for all the components of society, especially after the success of Bahrainis- from all social and political backgrounds – In overcoming the first challenges of the Corona pandemic, while demonstrating a remarkable level of awareness in denouncing sectarian tendencies, and spreading hope that a healthy and civilized victory over the Corona pandemic could be achieved.

Bahrain Interfaith hopes that Bahrainis from all walks of life utilize this opportunity as a confidence building measure and take positive steps to enhance the level of trust amongst all, and at all levels. BI Intends to highlight the following points in light of its call for confidence and trust building:

1- The crucial battle against Corona is an ideal opportunity – which may not be repeated – to do the “ground work” needed to build confidence and trust amongst all components of society, including the parties involved in the crisis, with no need to rush and jump to the stages of discussions, debates, understandings and national dialogues, before confidence building efforts are completed.

2- What distinguishes this exceptional stage is that it is “sudden” for everyone, and was not planned, which makes more effective in “confidence-building” than planned exercises, according to the diagnosis of experts in peace building.

3- The pandemic has produced a feeling amongst all components of society that they live in one vessel, and face one fate, and this was manifested in governmental and non-state positions, including the positions of parties directly involved in the crisis.Bahrainis have never found themselves in greater need for each other as in the current stage, as evidenced by everyone’s response to official measures taken in the face of the pandemic.

4- Bahrainis have no choice at this stage, and beyond, except cooperation, cohesion, mutual support and solidarity to face the pandemic and its future effects, and Bahrainis can fuse the new feelings and trends to resolve disputes from previous stages.

5- The slogan “conscious society” is a slogan that deserves to be transformed into the slogan of the current stage, because it gives assurances that Bahraini society is able to overcome various crises and challenges in the event that collective will, common wisdom and conscious insight is demonstrated by political and social leaders.

Bahrain Interfaith
Kingdom of Bahrain –  6 May 2020