“We are no strangers to variety and we are no strangers to how variety makes us stronger,” highlighted Yazan El-Erlyani, from the embassy of Yemen to Belgium, in the first in a series of events on fostering social cohesion and diversity in Yemen, co-hosted by the Baha’i International Community Brussels office, together with the Office of Public Affairs of the Baha’is of Yemen. 

Rachel Bayani, representative of the Baha’i International Community, said in her introductory remarks: “The Baha’i International Community believes that in light of the challenges Yemen faces, it is important to have conversations about how the remarkable social, cultural, ethnic or religious diversity of the country can be seen as a source of strength, rather than a hurdle that needs to be overcome”. Nader Al-Sakkaf, Director of the Office of Public Affairs of Baha’is in Yemen then asked “How can we benefit from all these [...] elements and experiences to be within the framework of one project which is building Yemen‘s present and future?” 

The first roundtable discussion, “Minority Rights: Seeing Diversity as an Opportunity,” gathered over 40 actors, including diplomats, EU policymakers, Yemeni and EU NGOs, human rights organizations, representatives of Yemen’s minorities, journalists, and activists. 

Participants highlighted the rich diversity of cultures, religions and ethnicities in Yemen. Nader Al-Sakkaf, from the Office of Public Affairs of Baha’is of Yemen, compared Yemeni society to a beautiful puzzle, each group representing an important piece. “when one piece is missing, it is difficult for us to progress,” he said. 

Ruhiyeh Thabet, from the Excellence Foundation for Integration and Development in Luxembourg, explained that minorities are interwoven into the fabric of society, and that allowing minorities to contribute to the reconstruction and development of Yemen “is a strategic tool and a non-negotiable element,” that “it is not a luxury or a privilege” but rather “foundational for peace-building processes in Yemen and the reconstruction of our country.” 

Mohammad Al-Raimi, from the Marginalized Group in Yemen, stressed the importance of acknowledging the social and religious diversity of Yemeni society. Ensuring equal citizenship and acceptance of others, he described, are the “foundations on which we build a nation.” 

Maysaa Shujaa Aldeen from the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies, highlighted the need to foster the meaningful participation of all minorities and the importance for them to “engage broadly in society; politically, economically, and in all aspects.”