HCHF Holds 4th Meeting in New York, Meets UN Sec-Gen.

Members of the Higher Committee of Humanitarian Fraternity (HCHF) on Thursday met with Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, at the organization's headquarters in New York, USA.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Secretary-General of the United Nations passed his warm thanks to Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayyeb for the Human Fraternity Document which is a positive example of combating hate speech and bigotry.

He stated, “It represents the practical application of respect for religions and a direct and intended message to all believers that persity and difference in religion is pine wisdom, just like the difference in color, gender, and language”.

He added that the document also reflects the universality of its embodied message that involves the necessity of respecting and protecting the principle of religious freedom”.

He also expressed his admiration for the persity within the committee entrusted with the achievement of the document objectives, as it contains representatives of different religions and nationalities.

He is looking forward to actual translation of the efforts of this committee through meetings with religious leaders and heads of international organizations and other figures, and through adopting initiatives that would spread peace and love among all human beings.

During the meeting, Mohammed Khalifa Al Mubarak, HCHF Member and Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi, outlined the proposed vision for the Abrahamic Family House to be held in the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, as the first project to be supervised by the committee.

The proposed design also involves the foundation of a church, a mosque, and a synagogue within a common space for the first time, with the aim of promoting religious dialogue and spreading the values of tolerance and coexistence among all the people of different religions, cultures and beliefs.

He also submitted an official invitation to the UN Secretary-General to attend the opening of the House in 2020.

Guterres applauded the Abrahamic House project, being the first of its kind that includes a mosque, a church and a synagogue within a common space, pointing out that this type of projects work on strengthening the relationship among the followers of religions, and promoting a culture of dialogue and coexistence.

He also expressed his confidence that the HCHF shall work on more projects that help in avoiding that culture of oppression and renouncement of the other, and in promoting rapprochement among followers of the different religions and cultures.

During the meeting, Cardinal Miguel Àngel Ayuso, HCHF Chairman, and Judge Muhammad Abdel Salam, HCHF Secretary-General, submitted a message cosigned by the world’s top religious leaders, His Holiness Pope Francis and His Eminence Grand Imam of Al-Azhar.

It contained a request for holding a summit for religious and political leaders to participate in finding practical solutions to implement the provisions of the document and adopt the achieve its objectives on the ground.

At the end of the meeting, the HCHF members expressed their respect for the United Nations Organization, headed by Guterres, and their appreciation of the organization's support for the Human Fraternity. They stressed that such support places a great responsibility on their shoulders, making them ready to exert maximum efforts to expedite the translation of the document provisions into practical achievements all towards realizing global peace and security.

They also confirmed their full determination to exert all efforts and transform all expectations from them into tangible results in the humanitarian field.

In the same context, the HCHF Secretary-General, Judge Muhammad Abdel Salam said that this meeting represents a big boost for the committee and reflects international organizations’ interest in the efforts sustaining human fraternity, especially this document-the most significant humanitarian document in the modern era and is signed by the world’s top religious figures, Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar.

He also stressed the need for concerted efforts by various international institutions and the HCHF towards meeting the needs of the afflicted and disadvantaged people around the world.

This visit comes in the wake of the HCHF meeting with Pope Francis head of the Catholic Church, and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, in the Vatican last November.