c to Paris, His Eminence, Prof. Ahmed Al-Tayyeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, and Head of the Muslim Council of Elders, delegated Prof. Ibrahim Al-Hudhud, Rector of Al-Azhar University to sign a protocol between Al-Azhar University and the Catholic University of Paris on cooperation in culture, translation, literature and interfaith dialogue.
In his speech, Prof. Al-Huhud affirmed that Al-Azhar, since its establishment, has had a vision that is open to all the other cultures, pointing out that Al-Azhar University attaches great importance to cooperation with all scholarly and religious institutions worldwide as it dispatches its students abroad to learn the various branches of knowledge and receives foreign students who come from over 100 countries worldwide to learn at Al-Azhar Al-Sharif.
Al-Huhud further stated that Islam teaches its followers how to have contact with the others who belong to different religions and cultures, pointing out that Al-Azhar has always carried this message that confirms that Islam is a religion of peace and mercy for the whole world.
Prof. Usama Nabil, Head of the French Dept. at the Faculty of Languages and Translation, Al-Azhar University, and coordinator of the protocol, stressed the importance of cooperation between Al-Azhar University and the European Universities, particularly the Catholic University that assumes special significance due to the mutual objectives it shares with Al-Azhar University. He also stated that studying literature, as a gateway to intercultural and interfaith dialogue, is a new mechanism for clearing up the misconceptions that the youth may have.
On his part, Phil Borden, Rector of the Catholic University, expressed his profound pride for cooperation with Al-Azhar University that supports spreading the culture of dialogue and coexistence between peoples and communities, and said that cooperation has been a dream for him as well as all other university students and professors who were looking forward to strengthening ties with this prestigious University.
Borden pointed out that the speech delivered by the Grand Imam at the second Forum of the Eastern and Western Elders had a great impact on the French people that holds Al-Azhar and its moderate ideology in deep esteem. "The speech, furthermore, gives us deeper insights into the Imam's broad vision and insistence on striving for achieving peace and peoples' interest," he added.
Borden further stated that this speech and the historic meeting between the Grand Imam and Pope Francis that preceded it may set the basis for a
genuine East-West dialogue that is based on cooperation and coexistence; "It encourages us to follow this path that does good for all peoples." He stated.
The Rector of the Catholic University affirmed that he is convinced that cooperation with prestigious University of Al-Azhar will open up new horizons for cooperation and interaction between the adherents of the various religions for a better future that is based on dialogue, mutual understanding and coexistence.