Al-Azhar Grand Imam, Prof. Ahmad At-Tayyeb, said Al-Azhar is an institution with a global message, which is the message of peace that stems from the tolerance of Islam. Al-Azhar has been an institution based on preserving the heritage of Muslims and teaching the true religion for more than 1070 years.

Education at Al-Azhar is based on pluralism and acceptance of different opinions.  During his meeting with Mr. Hokan Emsjord, the new Swedish Ambassador to Egypt, today, Sunday, Al-Azhar Grand Imam stressed that the door of Al-Azhar is open to Ambassadors of foreign countries in order to raise the level of scientific and advocacy cooperation with Al-Azhar including training mosque imams. These are important and effective tools for enhancing tolerance and moderation and confronting negative phenomena in societies. Imams and students return to their countries loaded with Azharite curricula and experience in disseminating tolerance, promoting coexistence and integration, and confronting all wrong and distorted ideas.

For his part, Ambassador Hokan Emsjord, Sweden's new Ambassador to Egypt, expressed his country's keenness to cooperate with Al-Azhar and make this cooperation a priority for the Embassy's work during the coming period, in view of Al-Azhar's prominent global status. He said he followed well the efforts and foreign tours of the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, his moderate speech and his efforts to establish the values of dialogue and peace. He added that the opportunities presented by the Grand Imam during this meeting regarding students and imams will be welcomed in Sweden because of the society’s need for moderate scholars and imams to solve problems and various issues, and to fight false ideas.