During His Meeting with 30 Religious and Intellectual Leaders in Indonesia - Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders Stresses that Our Differences and Diversity Are an Opportunity for Collective Action to Confront Global Challenges Threatening Humanity

The Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders, Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, emphasized that diversity and differences are a divine decree and that religious leaders and figures should utilize this diversity and differences to work together in confronting global challenges that necessitate the unity of religious leaders to achieve a better future for humanity.

During his meeting with 30 leaders, figures, and representatives of various religions in Indonesia, the Secretary-General called for interfaith dialogue to shift from being a mere slogan to a practical application in reality. He clarified that His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, and His Holiness Pope Francis, the Pope of the Catholic Church, provided an inspirational model for how the relationship between religious leaders and figures should be.

Judge Abdelsalam stated that the historical Abu Dhabi Document for Human Fraternity, co-signed by the Grand Imam and Pope Francis in 2019, presented the world with a roadmap to enhance the spirit of dialogue, tolerance, and coexistence in the face of narratives of extremism, hatred, and discrimination.

The Secretary-General also praised the Indonesian model of shared diversity, coexistence, and mutual respect among different religions in Indonesia. He explained that the regional branch of the Muslim Council of Elders in Indonesia will work to convey and present the Indonesian experience to the world as an exemplary model.

For their part, leaders, figures, and representatives of various religions in Indonesia, as well as participating intellectual figures, expressed their welcome to the Secretary-General, congratulating him on the official opening of the regional branch of the Muslim Council of Elders in Indonesia. They expressed their eagerness to collaborate with the Muslim Council of Elders on various projects and initiatives, affirming that under the leadership of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, the Council is making significant efforts to promote peace and disseminate the values of dialogue, tolerance, coexistence, and peace among followers of different religions and cultures.