According to the Emirates News Agency, the Mohammed bin Zayed University for Humanities wrapped up its first international conference on religious studies in Padua after two days of sessions that drew scholars, religious figures and technology specialists from multiple countries. The gathering, staged in partnership with the University of Padova and the University of Eastern Piedmont, examined intersections between faith traditions and contemporary issues including the integration of artificial intelligence into theological discourse. Discussions underscored how religious values can help shape ethical responses to rapid technological change while preserving human dignity across diverse cultures.
The university’s closing statement, distributed by WAM on October 4, listed seven core recommendations designed to advance cross-border academic work and tackle pressing societal questions. Among them was the launch of a project exploring religious commonalities, coupled with initiatives to boost academic exchanges and collaborative publishing. The recommendations further proposed creating dedicated channels for translating specialist outputs and fixing a recurring calendar for future editions of the conference built around fresh thematic axes each cycle.
Formulating binding ethical frameworks for artificial intelligence grounded in shared human values formed a central pillar of the outcome document. A Pew Research Center assessment published in 2025 found that 73 percent of Americans believe AI should play no role whatsoever in advising individuals about their faith in God. The conference recommendations align with such public caution by urging universities to anchor technological innovation in moral principles drawn from religious and humanistic traditions.
Additional measures in the communique call on academic institutions to deepen their societal contributions by tying research agendas more closely to real-world challenges and aspirations. Outstanding papers delivered during the event will appear in a refereed international journal indexed within the Scopus database once they clear the established peer-review process. The statement also encouraged sustained interfaith dialogue to protect human dignity in the face of cultural and doctrinal differences.
Khalifa Mubarak Al Dhaheri, chancellor of the Mohammed bin Zayed University for Humanities, told WAM that the conference represented a qualitative advance in the study of religion. He noted that the gathering helped shape an intellectual and humanistic narrative capable of engaging present realities while anticipating future shifts. Al Dhaheri added that the event reinforced core values that promote social stability and cohesion on both local and global scales.
Preparations for the conference began months earlier with a call for research abstracts submitted in Arabic or English, all of which underwent specialist review by the scientific committee. Full papers from accepted contributions are scheduled for submission by October 30, feeding directly into the planned joint publication. The collaboration with the two Italian universities is expected to evolve into a standing platform for ongoing dialogue between Gulf and European centers of religious and humanistic scholarship.
