EU Ambassadors: We Value Al-Azhar’s Global Role in Promoting Coexistence, Dialogue

Dr. Mohamed Ad-Duweini, Deputy of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, received a delegation of ambassadors and representatives from European Union member states at Al-Azhar Mosque. 

The delegation was headed by Ms. Angelina Eichhorst, EU Ambassador to Egypt, and included Dr. Rita Herencsár, Ambassador of Hungary; Ms. Polly Ioannou, Ambassador of Cyprus; Mr. Bart De Groof, Ambassador of Belgium; Ms. Ingrid Amer, Ambassador of Estonia; Ms. Nuala O’Brien, Ambassador of Ireland; Mr. Nikolaos Papageorgiou, Ambassador of Greece; Ms. Riikka Eela, Ambassador of Finland; Mr. Roberto Pace, Ambassador of Malta; Mr. Jürgen Schulz, Ambassador of Germany; Mr. Daniel Rafaelić, Diplomatic Advisor at the Croatian Embassy in Cairo; Ms. Lucia Bartáková, Chargée d’Affaires at the Slovak Embassy in Cairo; and Mr. Adrian Gaman, Deputy Head of Mission at the Romanian Embassy in Cairo.

In his remarks, Dr. Ad-Duweini emphasized that Al-Azhar places the promotion of dialogue, tolerance, and fraternity at the forefront of its global mission, as championed by the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Prof. Dr. Ahmad At-Tayyeb. He noted that the Grand Imam has undertaken numerous visits to European countries and held several meetings with church leaders, culminating in the landmark Document on Human Fraternity, signed jointly with Pope Francis and recognized by the United Nations as the International Day of Human Fraternity. This historic initiative has helped establish new global standards for peaceful coexistence, justice for the marginalized, and the rejection of hate speech.

Dr. Ad-Duweini highlighted Al-Azhar’s pivotal role in disseminating the authentic message of Islam globally. He noted that over 40,000 international students currently study in Al-Azhar’s institutions and that Al-Azhar dispatches carefully selected emissaries to countries around the world to promote its message of moderation. Additionally, the Al-Azhar International Academy for the Training of Imams and Preachers provides advanced instruction for religious leaders from across the globe in contemporary preaching methods and key issues in modern Islamic discourse.

He also stressed that Al-Azhar has long been committed to fostering interreligious and intercultural dialogue. This commitment is reflected in its active participation in international conferences such as the Bahrain Forum for Dialogue: East and West for Human Coexistence (2022) and Al-Azhar International Peace Conference (2017), which brought together the Grand Imam, Pope Francis, and prominent religious leaders to affirm the dignity of humanity and the peaceful essence of religions.

Ad-Duweini underscored Al-Azhar’s significant contributions to national cohesion in Egypt, including its joint initiative with the Egyptian Church to establish the “Egyptian Family House”, which unites Muslims and Christians of all denominations to strengthen national unity. This model has become a leading example of interfaith coexistence, now represented by fifteen branches across the country.

He further noted that Al-Azhar remains committed to clarifying rights and freedoms, such as the rights of women, the elderly, children, and neighbors, and the rights of both Muslims and non-Muslims. He emphasized that Islam honors the role of women, as demonstrated by the prominent leadership positions women hold within Al-Azhar. This commitment to gender equality earned Al-Azhar first place in the “Equal Opportunity and Women’s Empowerment” category in the 2022 Government Excellence Awards.

For their part, the EU ambassadors expressed deep appreciation for Al-Azhar’s status and legacy, praising its role in advancing moderation and dialogue, and reaffirming the alignment between the European Union’s values and Al-Azhar’s mission of global coexistence and human fraternity.

Following the meeting, the delegation toured the historic Al-Azhar Mosque, taking in its rare architectural and artistic features. They were given a detailed presentation on the mosque’s history and its academic role in promoting Islamic sciences. The tour included an overview of the scholarly activities conducted at the mosque, such as lessons in classical Islamic texts, religious studies, Arabic language, Quranic recitation, and the ten recognized modes of Quranic reading.

The ambassadors took commemorative photographs and engaged in friendly conversations with students studying in the mosque’s traditional learning circles. They inquired about the teaching methods, disciplines offered, and the intellectual benefits the students gain through their education at this renowned institution.