Prof. Ahmad At-Tayyeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, received Dr. Yvonne Baumann, the Swiss Ambassador to Cairo.
The Grand Imam stated that religion is the guide and mentor for ethics and values, playing a crucial role in the safety and stability of societies. He noted that we have realized this role in our contemporary world when attempts to exclude its voice resulted in chaos and confusion that have devastated many communities. He pointed out that today’s civilization has intentionally distanced religion from human life, leading to an unprecedented moral void. Furthermore, materialistic civilization has tried to deify humans and fulfill all their desires, which is the root cause of the current global chaos. The essence of this chaos is that those in possession of wealth, weapons, and the media can do whatever they want in the absence of a value system and the weakness of international laws, which are incapable of deterring aggressors.
The Grand Imam emphasized that Al-Azhar makes significant efforts to revive moral values, promote the values of brotherhood and acceptance of the other, and highlight the need to adhere to these values through its educational curricula and at the hands of its preachers and envoys worldwide. He pointed out that diversity is a divine law willed by God in His creation. If God had wanted it, He could have created people alike, but He created them to be different and made brotherhood, acceptance, and respect for others the foundation of their relationship.
For her part, Ambassador Yvonne Baumann expressed her great pleasure to meet the Grand Imam and her country's appreciation for his efforts to promote the values of brotherhood, peace, and tolerance, and to advance interfaith and intercultural dialogue, thereby enhancing societal stability and cohesion.
Dr. Yvonne Baumann affirmed the importance of religious leaders in promoting the values of tolerance and brotherhood and fostering rapprochement between different cultures due to their influential power. She noted that the historic Human Fraternity Document, cosigned by the Grand Imam and Pope Francis, provided a model for interfaith relations.
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