The Tanzania-based Kilimanjaro Dialogue Institute (KDI) partnered with other global organizations drawing Christians and Muslims to an international panel in Turkey to remind the world of the big mention and importance of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the scriptures.
The two-day Congress, which took place at the Izmir Hilton Hotel in the third week of May 2015, saw panelists from many parts of the world touch base on why and how Islam and Christianity highly value the Compassion of Blessed Mary in their scriptures.
The panel observed both the Holy Bible and Holy Qur’an concur that Blessed Mary originates from a selected family and is a noble person. She is a unique lady mentioned in the Qur’an, by name, 34 times and in the Bible 19 times. This is enough ground to base the degree of respect she commands in both religions.
Mary, one of the most distinguished women, even in her young age reined anger and hatred through deep affection. She was full of compassion for all people and was always gripped by it. Referred to as the Queen of Compassion –the most explicit example of the kind, Mary possessed important common values for the development of mutual understanding of both religions.
This was the third in the series of international meetings convened by the Izmir Intercultural Dialogue Center (IZDIM), Journalists and Writers Foundation, Intercultural Dialogue Platform (KADIP) organized to bring Christians and Muslims under the denominator of the Virgin Mary and to remind people once more the description and importance of the Virgin Mary in the scriptures.
Speakers from Turkey and other countries shared their valuable information and experiences about “The Compassion of Blessed Mary” in the panel organized by KADİP and IZDIM, with the partnership of JWF Women Platform, Thailand Achievement Institute (TAI), Turkish Japan Cultural Dialogue Society (NITTOKAI), Nile Dialogue Platform, Kilimanjaro Dialogue Institute of Tanzania, Ilhas Da Paz Fundacao (FIP), Marmara Women Associations Federation (MARKAFED), Friede Diyalogue Institute, Ege Nilufer Women Associations Federation (ENKAFED), Promoviendo la Convivencia Pasifica (ALBA) and Fatih University.Tanzania was represented by Mrs Grace Kemilembe Kabyemera
. 
