Tunis — Within the framework of the celebration of "Kairouan as 2009 Islamic culture capital", the Ministry of Religious Affairs held on Wednesday in Kairouan, a conference under the motto "The enlightened religious thought and attributes of identity during two decades of Change".

Chairing the opening session of the conference, Mr. Boubaker El Akhzouri, Minister of Religious Affairs, said that the era of change is the era of reconciliation between the Tunisian and spiritual values noting that reconciliation with oneself is a fundamental component of the societal change project.

The Minister recalled President Ben Ali's statement that "Islam is a religion of "Ijtihad", stressing the concern of President Ben Ali to the Arab-Muslim identity, a common denominator among all Tunisian citizens.

The minister reviewed the many initiatives undertaken by Tunisia to promote dialogue between civilizations and enhance the reconciliation between peoples through the organization of several international conferences and a series of decisions with the view to anchor the principles of tolerance and openness.

Mr. El Akhzouri said that the Tunisians are attached to their Arab-Muslim identity and reject all forms of acculturation and hegemony, so that Islam remains a fundamental attribute of national identity, a shield against hatred and bigotry and a vector of moderation, openness and solidarity.

Several researchers and thinkers will take part in the 2-day event discussing in particular, "basis of "ijtihad" in religious thought, since the Change," " safeguard mechanisms of the identity, established during the last two decades "and" Tunisia's initiatives to establish a dialogue between civilizations".

During these meetings, the minister evoked the development of the "achievements of the change in religion", "the content of religious information in the era of Change" and "the place of women in Islam and in an era of Change"