'Palestine, pillar of Islamic Awakening'

Islam Times reports from ISNA: “Palestine and resistance, as the main issue of the Islamic World, have turned into a pillar of Islamic Awakening,” Ali Akbar Velayati said during the opening ceremony of the conference in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on Saturday.

He argued that the recent wave of Islamic Awakening across the Middle East and North Africa has its roots in Islamic teachings and relies on the participation of people in political and social arenas.

The secretary general of the conference went on to say that such religious beliefs, together with self-confidence, have inspired the recent movements in the Islamic countries, and the people's will to determine their own fate has brought religious democracy.

“This magnificent and vigorous movement calls for fair and respectful interaction with the world, emphasizes on its political independence and defies any hegemony or submission,” Velayati pointed out.

More than 500 scholars and prominent figures from 80 countries are participating in the two-day conference, which kicked off in Tehran on Saturday.

The conference will also discuss and analyze the history and basic tenets of the Islamic Awakening as well as figures that have played a role in such movements.

The in-depth study of a unified Islamic front and the issues and problems it faces as well as the goals and prospects of Islamic Awakening are among other topics of discussion at the conference.