Peacebuilders Express Gratitude to the Muslim Council of Elders for Supporting and Empowering Youth and Encouraging Them to Promote and Enhance the Values of Tolerance and Coexistence

The Muslim Council of Elders organized a seminar at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2024 titled "Youth in the Journey of the Muslim Council of Elders," featuring Yara Ahmed, Khalifa Khalid, Meera Al Mheiri, and Meera Almazrouei, all graduates of the Emerging Peacemakers Forum, which was initiated by the council to empower and equip youth in fostering peace, enhancing coexistence, and bridging dialogues with others.

At the beginning of the seminar, graduates of the Emerging Peacemakers Forum highlighted the Muslim Council of Elders' journey in promoting and enhancing the values of tolerance and human fraternity by activating the roles of religious leaders and various segments of society in global efforts to address various challenges facing humanity, particularly youth. They affirmed that the council's pioneering role in nurturing, empowering, and supporting youth in various fields, including peacebuilding, and in instilling a culture of diversity and pluralism, contributed to their openness to others and understanding of the values of coexistence and positive interaction with diverse communities and peoples.

Khalifa Khalid, a graduate of the first edition of the Emerging Peacemakers Forum, stated that his participation in the forum was an exceptional milestone where he met other youth from different cultures, nationalities, and religions, to experience genuine coexistence who worked together to apply an integrated and diverse approach focusing on shared human values, reviving tolerance and coexistence in their societies and countries. Khalifa pointed out that the youth of the Emerging Peacemakers Forum contributed to organizing a unique global event, the Global Conference of Human Fraternity, culminating in the signing of the Human Fraternity Document by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, and His Holiness Pope Francis, of the Catholic Church, making it the most important document in modern human history.

Khalifa Khalid added that the cooperation and communication among graduates of the Emerging Peacemakers Forum continued even after the forum's conclusion. They worked on implementing strategies, projects, and initiatives that support peacebuilding and promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence in various countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Kingdom of Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates, among others.

Meera Almazrouei, one of the graduates of the second edition of the Emerging Peacemakers Forum, expressed her appreciation and gratitude to the Muslim Council of Elders for providing her with the opportunity to participate in the forum, explore, learn, and experience real peacebuilding, tolerance, bridge-building dialogues, and understanding of others. She emphasized that youth need a discourse that translates their identity and values, highlights the tolerance of Islamic religion and its enlightened moderate approach, confronts extremist, hateful, biased narratives, and builds communication bridges with youth in the West.

Meera Al Mheiri pointed out that the Muslim Council of Elders did not limit its role to involving youth in the Emerging Peacemakers Forum and other youth initiatives, but also ensured the empowerment and qualification of youth to become peace ambassadors on many international platforms, conferences, and events. She praised the council's efforts in supporting and empowering youth and its constant commitment to listening to their different ideas and perspectives and benefiting from them in developing initiatives and programs directed to youth and to humanity as a whole.

Yara Ahmed, another graduate of the second edition of the Emerging Peacemakers Forum, reviewed one of the most important initiatives within the outcomes of the forum which focused on integrating entrepreneurship, empowering youth, and addressing the climate issue in one competition. The competition received about 50 youth projects from 11 countries around the world, aiming to support youth and encourage them to develop innovative and sustainable solutions to address the climate crisis, empower youth to participate in public dialogues and decision-making processes on environmental conservation policies and mitigating the impacts of climate change. She concluded the seminar by calling for belief in youth and their abilities as a driving force for change and progress, a source of creativity and innovation, and an investment in building a bright future for nations.

The Muslim Council of Elders launched the first edition of the Emerging Peacemakers Forum in London in 2018, in partnership with Al-Azhar and the Church of England with the second edition of the forum being held in July 2023 in Geneva, Switzerland, in cooperation with the World Council of Churches and the Rose Castle Foundation. In each edition of the forum, 50 young men and women from various parts of the world participated.

The Muslim Council of Elders is participating at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair with over 220 publications in 5 different languages, including 22 new releases addressing key intellectual issues. Additionally, it is set to host a series of seminars focusing on topics such as dialogue, tolerance, coexistence, youth, peacebuilding, and the environment alongside a corner for Arabic calligraphy and several entertainment activities for children. The council's pavilion is located in Hall 10, Pavilion 10 C17 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).