The Muslim Council of Elders has hosted the fourth seminar at its stand at the Cairo International Book Fair 2023. Titled ‘A step towards promoting Human Fraternity’, the seminar was presented by Dr. Nahla Al Saidi, advisor to the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar for International Student Affairs, who discussed ways to promote coexistence and human fraternity. 

During the seminar, Al Saidi remarked, “Achieving human fraternity entails working to create societies free of wars and conflicts as well as having peaceful individuals who live in harmony with one another. It also involves recognizing that the only way to bring about global peace and human fraternity is to uphold the lofty ideals of Islam and its divine law, which call for mercy and interdependence. I call for Humanity to unite to disseminate those ideals and values among people, and to aid those attempting to doing so.”

The advisor to the Grand Imam for International Student Affairs added, “The Document on Human Fraternity which was co-signed on the 4th of February 2019 by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders along with His Holiness Pope Francis, Pontiff of the Catholic Church in Abu Dhabi is filled with ideals that can guide humanity towards achieving world peace and happiness for individuals and societies alike, to go with reawakening religious conviction within people.”

Al Saidi continued, “The Document on Human Fraternity urged people to adopt the values of mercy, justice, and tolerance and warned us that the world we live in is not a place for conflict, disharmony, and war but for cooperation and acquaintance. For the document to become a reality in our lives, the entire world must adopt it wholeheartedly.”

She concluded by emphasizing the important role of religious and cultural institutions as well as thinkers and academics in spreading coexistence and promoting human fraternity for the sake of global peace. She also thanked Al-Azhar and the Muslim Council of Elders for their efforts in making human fraternity a global reality.

The Council’s participation at the Cairo International Book Fair comes as part of His Eminence the Grand Imam’s vision of promoting dialogue and spreading tolerance and peace globally as well as building bridges of cooperation with people of all backgrounds. The Council’s participation at the Cairo International Book Fair is located in Hall 4 next to the Al-Azhar stand at the Egypt International Exhibition Center.