December 16 2021
LONDON – H.E. Dr. Sultan Al-Remeithi, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders (MCE) and H.E. Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary-General of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity (HCHF) met yesterday with the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, at Lambeth Palace in London.
The Archbishop of Canterbury expressed his appreciation for the efforts of His Eminence Professor Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and MCE Chairman, in promoting interfaith dialogue and building bridges of peace between cultures and religions. The Archbishop underlined the importance of furthering cooperation between the Anglican Church and the MCE, noting that the Document on Human Fraternity serves as a solid platform for cooperation among all humanity, regardless of religion or culture.
The Most Reverend Welby also expressed his appreciation for the efforts made by the United Arab Emirates in supporting human fraternity and promoting values of dialogue and coexistence.
During the meeting, Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam said that the world pins its hopes on the leaders of religious institutions to establish peace and promote human fraternity. He pointed out that Document on Human Fraternity – co-signed by His Holiness Pope Francis and His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar in 2019 in Abu Dhabi under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and patron of human fraternity – has ushered in a new era for collaboration among religious institutions with shared values of human dignity, respect for diversity, and mutual understanding. The Abrahamic Family House – a first-of-its-kind interfaith complex being constructed in Abu Dhabi – sends a significant message to all humanity to foster coexistence among followers of different faiths, added Abdelsalam.
For his part, Dr. Sultan Al-Remeithi said that the MCE – under the chairmanship of His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar – pays much attention to boosting interfaith dialogue. Dr. Al-Remeithi noted that the East and West Forums – organized in cooperation between Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, the MCE, and religious institutions and intellectuals from the West – tackled several issues and challenges, which led to furthering encounter and mutual understanding between peoples from different faiths and cultures.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed issues of common concern, including emphasizing the role of religious leaders in addressing climate change. They also agreed to resume the Youth Peacemakers Project, which aims to engage young people in efforts to promote peace within communities and disseminate human fraternity values.
The meeting was attended by two youth representatives of the Youth Peacemakers project: Secretary-General of UAE Students Association Khalifa Khaled and Joe Penfield, Media and Communications Director at Rose Castle Foundation in the United Kingdom.
