During his participation in the Future Summit on the Solidarity Economy for Integrated and Sustainable Development...

The Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders: Discussion about the future will hinge on the restoration of hope and trust in the international community's capacity to secure peace and human justice.

Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam: The Muslim Council of Elders has a successful track record of involving the voice of religions in addressing various global challenges.

The Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders: There should be a greater emphasis on the role of community leaders and religious figures in enhancing the prospects of resolving conflicts and disputes around the world.

The Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders, His Excellency Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, emphasized that the challenges facing the world are not confined to the economy, environment, and technology, but also extend to other aspects of human life, including wars and conflicts in many regions of the world. He highlighted the pressing need for community leaders and religious figures to play a more significant role in increasing the chances of ending these conflicts.

During his participation in the Future Summit on the Solidarity Economy for Integrated and Sustainable Development, held under the theme of "War and Peace" organized by the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, the Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders, Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, highlighted that the world is caught in a dilemma between aspirations for a prosperous future and the painful reality that devastates the lives of thousands and the future of entire nations, especially the plight of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip who are suffering from dire humanitarian conditions amidst complete global inaction to save them.

His Excellency Judge Abdelsalam highlighted that the Document on Human Fraternity, signed on February 4, 2019, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, gained its importance from being an initiative between two global religious leaders representing the two largest Abrahamic religions: His Eminence Sheikh Ahmad Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, and His Holiness Pope Francis, Pontiff of the Catholic Church. He stated, "As we consider the future of peace in our world, we not only recognize the relevance of this Document but also explore ways to implement its principles. These principles acknowledge that severe political crises, injustice, and the lack of fair distribution of natural resources contribute to ongoing deadly conflicts in many countries. We are also challenged to sustain the hope for peace through dialogue, coexistence, and human fraternity, especially for the millions of war victims who have witnessed the failure of these values to protect them from war and aggression."

The Secretary-General emphasized that the Muslim Council of Elders, an independent international institution that brings together a select group of the Islamic nation’s scholars and wise men from around the world, and works to build peace within Islamic societies and between them and other communities, recognizes that evolving relationships, including those involving violence and peace, or war and peace, require a multi-level understanding. This understanding must take into account the realities of wars, their challenges in the realms of consciousness, economic interests, and the relations between communities and nations, as well as the sources of violence that are perpetuated within public institutions through a continuous cycle of dangerous populist forms of media and populist violence against religions, cultures, races, or nationalities. He also noted that the invitation from United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres to hold the Future Summit in September is a sincere and serious call that was made before the escalation of wars and conflicts to the alarming level we see today. This makes the summit a new challenge, not only to create a roadmap for the future but also to restore hope in humanity's ability to plan a better future that excludes no one and no place in the world.

Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam highlighted that discussions about the future will always hinge on the restoration of hope and trust in the international community's capacity to secure peace and heal the deep wounds and human divides left by wars and strife. He emphasized that the international community's failure to find a fair and collective mechanism to end bloody conflicts will never align with any sustainable plans for a better future for humanity, which is continuously caught between aspirations for a better future and a reality filled with conflict and destruction. He pointed out that this reality should not deter everyone from continuing their efforts to make peace, explore ways to end conflicts and create a serious and new international mechanism for this purpose while simultaneously continuing efforts to plan for the future and address the common challenges facing all of humanity.

The Secretary-General underscored the importance of enhancing interfaith and intercultural dialogue on issues of solidarity and sustainable development in the face of war and the pursuit of peace. He stated that the Council has a successful track record of involving the voice of religions in addressing various global challenges, particularly the issue of climate change, through organizing the Global Faith Leaders Summit on Climate Change, which resulted in the "Call of Conscience," also known as Abu Dhabi Interfaith Statement on Climate Change. This declaration, signed by thirty religious leaders and figures from around the world, outlines practical and effective steps to address climate change. This was followed by the first-ever Faith Pavilion at a Conference of the Parties (COP), organized by the Council in collaboration with the COP28 Presidency, the United Nations Environment Programme, and the UAE Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence, aimed at involving scholars and religious leaders in discussing innovative and effective solutions to address this critical crisis.

It is worth noting that the 'Future Summit on the Solidarity Economy for Integrated and Sustainable Development: War and Peace,' was organized by the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences in collaboration with the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network on March 4 and 5 in Rome, Italy. The summit discussed ethical principles and specific reforms for sustainable development issues, financing for development, international peace and security, science, technology, and innovation, as well as youth and future generations, and global governance.