The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders (MCE), Prof. Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, received today, Thursday, at his home in Al-Qurna, Luxor, the global thinker, Jeffrey Sachs, Professor of Economics and Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University.

The meeting included friendly discussions about the most prominent developments on the global scene, especially the challenges facing the region. His Eminence expressed his appreciation for Sachs’s fair positions and writings, especially with regard to Gaza and Palestine, which reflect a wise mind that is well aware that the message of all religions calls for supporting the vulnerable regardless of faith, gender or race, and for promoting genuine coexistence based on equality, rights and human dignity.

Professor Sachs, for his part, expressed his great pleasure and honor at meeting the Grand Imam, and his appreciation for His Eminence’s courageous stances in spreading global peace and human fraternity. He stressed that the voice of Imam Al-Tayyeb represents the voice of truth and humanity, and the world should listen to these visions well. He also emphasized his pride in this visit to Egypt and Luxor, and his happiness at visiting Al-Azhar Mosque— the pioneering scientific institution that radiates light and knowledge to the whole world.