Al-Azhar Delegation Urges Global Action to End Gaza Aggression at China Tolerance Conference

 A high-level delegation from Egypt’s Al-Azhar Ash-Sharif participated in an international conference in China on religious tolerance and combating discrimination, calling for sustained global pressure to halt the ongoing aggression in Gaza.

The delegation included Abbas Shoman, secretary-general of the Council of Senior Scholars and president of the World Association of Al-Azhar Graduates; Mohamed El-Gendy, secretary-general of the Islamic Research Academy; and Hassan Khalil, assistant secretary-general for Islamic culture at the academy. 

The event, hosted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences under the banner “Religious Tolerance and Combating Discrimination within the Framework of the Global Civilization Initiative,” drew prominent religious leaders and scholars from around the world.

In his address, Shoman said the diversity of religions and sects reflects divine will, and that Islam advocates for the unity of humanity while rejecting discrimination based on religion, ethnicity, or color. Dialogue and mutual understanding, he said, are the best tools to bridge differences — not the so-called “clash of civilizations.” He urged the international community to pressure decision-makers to end conflicts and resource exploitation, and to act urgently to stop wars, “foremost among them the Zionist aggression on Gaza.”

El-Gendy emphasized that religious tolerance is a cornerstone of civilization-building and a necessity for nations seeking endurance. He credited the global tours of Al-Azhar’s Grand Imam with fostering interfaith dialogue, rejecting racism, and opposing policies of oppression and exclusion.

Khalil, speaking in a session on overcoming civilizational clashes, described Al-Azhar’s mission as one of peace, justice, and the defense of human dignity, stressing that religions were revealed as a mercy to humanity, not a source of division.

Al-Azhar leaders pledged to continue promoting peace, protecting human fraternity, and engaging diverse cultures on the basis of mutual respect and shared values.