The Muslim World League’s (MWL) General Secretariat and the US Evangelical Community have affirmed their common values. They pledged to bolster bilateral cooperation and stressed the importance of renouncing all forms of extremism and hatred and working together to build bridges of cooperation among peoples of all religions and cultures. This came during a meeting held by MWL Secretary-General Sheikh Dr. Mohammed al-Issa with the Evangelical Community’s delegation on Wednesday in Jeddah. The two sides discussed means of promoting coexistence and harmony around the world. They pointed to the historic Makkah document that was issued following a conference organized by the MWL this summer and which brought together more than 1,200 prominent Muslim scholars. Both sides referred to the document, which stresses the need to build bridges of cooperation, coexistence and love for all peoples and highlight the importance of dialogue as the most effective tool for rapprochement with others and identifying common ties. They also agreed to promote respect for religions and mutual trust and pledged to overcome obstacles to coexistence and end violence among people through the power of education, promotion of religious harmony, and cultural, ethnic and national integration. Family is the core for building the society, they said, adding that it is entrusted with caring for the future generations to be raised on values of moderation, love and respect for others, regardless of their background. Universal citizenship guarantees justice for all in a diverse society, where the constitution and rule of law are respected on each state’s territory. In their joint statement, both sides also emphasized the great importance of places of worship around the world and on prosecuting attackers on these sites. They agreed to establish and encourage initiatives and programs to combat famine, poverty and disease, recognizing the right to personal freedoms, unless they lead to harming others based on their religion, culture or ethnicity.