The Grand Imam, Dr. Ahmed At-Tayeb, Sheikh of Al-Azhar and Chairman of Muslim Council of Elders (MCE), expresses his hope that 2018 will be a year of goodness and peace for all the humanity, highlighting the necessity to promote a culture of tolerance and co-existence and reject all the forms of racism, extremism and terrorism throughout the world.

With the advent of a new year, the Grand Imam emphasizes that we must work together to promote the values ​​of justice and equality, to participate in healing the pains of the unprivileged and vulnerable people around the globe. His Eminence also stressed the need to promote the culture of dialogue among the members of different communities.

Moreover, the Grand Imam affirms that the experience of the past years, and even old and recent history records, confirms that peace and prosperity of humanity is indivisible. He also asserted that it is impossible for a part of the world to enjoy prosperity and peace, while other parts are left under the fires of chaos and deprivation, the case which requires the international community and its influential players to act effectively for a world free of hunger, poverty and marginalization. Africa's famines, oppression and persecution in Burma, the occupation of Palestine and the attempts to usurp the rights and sanctities of the Palestinian people are urgent issues that must be at the top the world's concerns in its new year.

The Grand Imam prays to God that the New Year be a year of hard work and sincere efforts to achieve progress and growth of our beloved Egypt and our Arab and Muslim world. He also calls for working together to advance our world, a case which should lead to establishing security, peace, prosperity and create a better future for all humankind.