There is no common denominator better able to bridge the gap between different people from around the world despite conflicts and diversity, than the firm belief in the sacredness of the family. All divine laws have blessed this sacred institution, forging a strong bond between males and females which conform to human nature in bearing and raising new generations that contribute to building civilizations.

The concept of the family, as we all know, has, at times, been defined in a manner contrary to that of religions, social rules and human consciousness. We should combat these notions, especially those that try to disguise them under the guise of modernity. Modernity cannot be accepted as a pretext to bypass religious, social, and cultural values which have long shielded and maintained the family.

The family today has more responsibility than ever before. If its role of rearing and teaching children is carried out in a good manner, the family can contribute to the strengthening of dialogue and forgiveness, as it remains the first institution where we form and develop the art of building relationships with others.

The importance of the family as a school encourages us to further protect and develop it, so that it can perform its role in preparing more open minded people who will accept rational thought, be open to dialogue with others and learn from differences in opinion, rather than accepting extreme views without proof. This process of development strengthens national entities and promotes the culture of democracy, which is in accordance with ongoing calls for cultural dialogue and the possibility of coexistence among nations.

There is an urgent need for a new mentality that sees the family as part of the solution sought after, rather than part of the problem. In other words, what is required is a mentality that doesn't treat the family as a burden to development, but rather as a driving force behind it.

Such a choice necessitates the adoption of a reference that safeguards the right of the family, and ensures the integration of this institution in such a way as to turn into an effective factor in all programs aiming at national, regional and international development. This goal, we hope, will be achieve through the Doha Declaration following this conference.

The Declaration on its own cannot be sufficient unless we work together for an effective apparatus capable of concretizing the concepts and achieving the goals. It is in this context that I invite you to think of the possibility of founding a Center for Family Research and Studies with the primary task of instituting what may possibly be called Family Science for the Third Millennium as the intellectual reference for this institution. The same centre will also be invited to take constructive initiatives aiming at mutual coordination and implementation among the national, regional and international programs related to the family.

For this reason, we are required to work hand in hand for the family at the outset of this new decade in order to overcome all legal, political, economic and social barriers that threaten the family structure or prevent it from carrying out its noble mission.