JEDDAH, 7 February 2006 — The organizers of the Jeddah Economic Forum 2006 decided yesterday not to invite the Danish delegation at the annual event.
The organizers made the decision in the wake of Muslim anger over the publication of the blasphemous caricatures published by a Danish newspaper on Sept. 30.
The forum, scheduled to be held at the Jeddah Hilton from Feb. 11 to 13, features prominent local, regional and international personalities in business, politics, media and academia.
The Council of Gulf Countries’ Chambers and the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce & Industry have praised the positive reaction by businessmen in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf in responding to the deliberate humiliation of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Condemnation of the cartoons mocking the Prophet published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten has been voiced throughout the Muslim world and in the past few days has taken the form of demonstrations and attacks on some Danish and other Western embassies.
The JEF has assumed tremendous importance in the region and has been attracting the highest caliber of personalities from the United States, Europe and Asia.
Nearly 2,500 businessmen and women from within and outside the Kingdom are taking part at the JEF. It will feature 60 speakers and discuss 32 working papers on promoting perpetual global economic growth.
Makkah Governor Prince Abdul Majeed will preside over the inaugural ceremony on the opening day. The JEF, now in its seventh year, will focus on the theme “Seeding Potentials for Economic Growth: Honoring Identity and Celebrating Common Grounds.” The Jeddah Marketing Board, which operates under the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce & Industry (JCCI), is organizing the event.
According to JEF 2006 Chairman Hassan Enany, global speakers include Irish President Mary McAleese, Congo Brazzaville President Denis Sassou N’Guesso, Gambia President Al Hajji Jammah, Ghana’s former President Jerry Rawlings, former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, former US Vice President Al Gore, human rights lawyer Cherie Blair, Forbes Inc. President & CEO Steve Forbes, Forbes Magazine Editor in Chief Peter Roberston, Vice Chairman of Chevron Corporation, Abdul-Salam Al-Majali, former prime minister of Jordan, Haifa Al-Kaylani, founder and chairman of Arab International Woman’s Forum, Mohamed Alabbar, director general of the Department of Economics Dubai and Chairman of Emaar Properties, Bahia Hariri, member of the Lebanese Parliament and sister of Rafik Hariri, Andre Azoulay, counselor to King Mohammed VI of Morocco.
Anwar Ibrahim, former deputy prime minister of Malaysia, and Thoraya Obaid, executive director of the United Nations Population Fund, will also speak at plenary sessions.
