Judge Abdelsalam: True friendship can overcome difficulties to achieve world peace
Russian Orthodox Church delegation reaffirm Grand Imam's calls for a new meeting of religious leaders
The Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam has met a delegation from the Russian Orthodox Church led by Metropolitan Anthony in the capital of Kazakhstan, Nur-Sultan. The delegation had attended the recently-concluded 7th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions which ran on 14 and 15 September in the Central Asian country.
During the meeting, Judge Abdelsalam expressed his admiration of the positive relationship between the Russian Orthodox Church and Muslims around the world. He added that he hoped the Muslim Council of Elders would be able to cooperate with the Russian Orthodox Church on matters related to interfaith dialogue and peacebuilding. He pointed to the Grand Imam's relationship with Pope Francis as a exemplary partnership which eventually led to the 2019 signing of the Document on Human Fraternity in Abu Dhabi.
The Secretary-General remarked that the Muslim Council of Elders had in the past launched various initiatives aimed at peacebuilding including 'Dialogue between East and West' and the 'Emerging Peacemakers Forum', which was in collaboration with the Church of England.
For their part, the Russian Orthodox Church delegation expressed their deep respect of the Muslim Council of Elders under the Chairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar for its role in promoting global peace as well as advocating for interfaith dialogue. They welcomed possible cooperation with the Council and reaffirmed the Grand Imam's calls for a meeting of religious leaders to discuss their respective responsibilities towards moral and environmental crises that the world is currently facing. The concluded by stressing the critical juncture that humanity is going through and the need for urgent action to be taken to avoid uncontrollable conflicts and disasters.
