On December 21, President of Syria Bashar al-Assad received Islam and Christian leaders.

During the meeting with President of Syria Bashar al-Assad, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Damascus, His Grace, Bishop Armash Nalbandian expressed his gratitude to the President for the reception, touched upon the 100^th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and attached importance to the role that the Arab people of Syria played as humanists and rescuers during the years of the Armenian Genocide.

As “ArmenPress” reports, citing Syria’s SANA news agency, the religious leaders were visiting the President following the annual conference hosted by the Ministry for Religion. During the meeting, President Assad mentioned that such meetings are of great national and historical significance and reflect the power and unity of the Syrian society, which is one of the foundations for the persistence of the homeland during the brutal war.

Assad also mentioned that the Syrians’ awareness of what’s really going on in Syria will open new doors for religious activities, and the focus must be on the differences between fanaticism and real Islam, which is hinged on morality, love, cooperation and tolerance. The President attached importance to the role of the latter in the strengthening of national reconciliation.

In their turn, the participants assured that Syria will remain a brilliant example of cultural diversity, national unity and the fight against terrorism and a country that rejects the ideas of extremism that are strange to the Syrian nation.