The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar: The Human Fraternity Document was written with the voice of humanity rather than the voice of religions.

Professor Volker Kauder: We appreciate the efforts of the Grand Imam in promoting interfaith dialogue and establishing the values of positive coexistence.

His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Prof. Ahmad Al-Tayyeb received Professor Volker Kauder, Honorary Professor of Religious Freedom and Political Ethics at the Free Theological University in Giessen (FTH), Germany.

The Grand Imam said that Al-Azhar Al-Sharif pays great attention to promoting interfaith dialogue as one of the tools for consolidating world peace. Therefore, it has opened up to cultural and religious institutions around the world, and we have held many global initiatives with the Canterbury Cathedral, the World Council of Churches, the Middle East Council of Churches and the Vatican. He added that these efforts culminated in the signing of the historic Human Fraternity Document with the late Pope Francis, who was a man of peace of a high caliber, “with whom we worked together for humanity.” His Eminence stated, “The Human Fraternity Document was written with the voice of humanity rather than the voice of religions.”

His Eminence added that despite Al-Azhar's keenness to continue interfaith dialogue efforts, the ongoing wars and conflicts greatly affect the continuation of these efforts, foremost among them is the aggression against Gaza, which claimed the lives of thousands of innocent children, women, the elderly, and young people, whose only crime was refusing to leave their land and clinging to their homeland. 

His Eminence pointed out that global decision-making and weapons have fallen into the hands of a group of irrational people, which poses a real danger to the future of this world, which they are leading towards more wars and conflicts. This is the tragedy of modern man, which is caused by the dominance of a civilization that does not heed God or adhere to values, as well as by the economy of arms dealing, and by turning man into a commodity to be bought and sold in the market.

Professor Volker Kauder expressed his delight at meeting the Grand Imam and his appreciation for the great efforts he is making to establish the values of world peace and the culture of human fraternity. He pointed out the need for religious institutions around the world to join forces to consolidate interreligious dialogue and spread the culture of tolerance and positive coexistence among all.