Al-Azhar Grand Imam, Prof. Ahmad At-Tayyeb and His Holiness Pope Francis, Pope of the Catholic Church met members of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity (HCHF).

The members of the committee introduced to His Eminence the Grand Imam and His Holiness the Pope, the proposed concept for the Abrahamic Family House (AFH) to be built in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, which is the first project that the committee will supervise. The proposed design reveals the establishment of a church, a mosque and a synagogue in a shared space for the first time, with the aim of encouraging religious dialogue and promoting the values of tolerance and coexistence among all people of different religions, cultures and beliefs.

During the meeting, His Eminence the Grand Imam stressed that the HCHF has a great responsibility to implement the principles of the Human Fraternity Document and put them to practice so that all people feel the results of this document in coexistence and community peace. He praised the formation of the Committee and its members who expressed human cultural and religious diversity.

His Holiness Pope Francis said that the HFD was a distant dream, but by the will of God, it has become a reality. He called on the members of the committee to exert more effort to translate this historic document into programs, legislation and initiatives that truly contribute to enhancing love and brotherhood among people, adding that the AFH is a genius idea that embodies the human brotherhood that we all seek.

The HCHF announced including Ms. Irina Bokova, the former Director-General of UNESCO, as a member. Bokova is 67-years old, the first woman to hold the position of Director of UNESCO for two consecutive terms 2009-2017; and she held many leadership positions.  She started as a member of the Bulgarian Parliament, then Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Ambassador of Bulgaria to France and UNESCO, ending with her work as the personal representative of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) before assuming the presidency of UNESCO.  This makes the number of members of the Committee nine, all concerned with achieving the goals contained in the Human Fraternity Document.

In a joint statement, the Higher Committee commented on the inclusion of Irina Bokova, saying, "Today, on the occasion of the International Day for Tolerance, we are pleased to welcome her as a member of the committee seeking to disseminate the principles of coexistence, brotherhood and tolerance all over the world." 

The committee continued, "Throughout her career, Bokova has contributed to promoting the principles of tolerance and coexistence among societies. She has a great experience in coordinating specialized programs and initiatives at the international level, the case which will be an important addition to us in our attempt to achieve the goals of the Higher Committee."

Meanwhile, Irina said, "I am honored to join these distinguished elite of religious and cultural leaders in order to achieve the goals of this historic document for the benefit of human fraternity, in a world that is in dire need of dialogue and mutual respect."

It is noteworthy that the HCHF was formed in order to achieve the goals of the Human Fraternity Document cosigned by His Holiness Pope Francis, Pope of the Catholic Church, and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ash-Sharif. The committee set an executive framework for the goals and objectives stipulated in the document, and preparing necessary executive plans, programs and initiatives in order to activate its provisions, providing for world peace and coexistence and ensuring a bright and tolerant future for future generations.

The duties of the HCHF also include overseeing the implementation of the document’s principles at regional and international levels, and holding international meetings with leaders, religious figures, heads of international organizations and concerned people. In addition, the committee plays a pivotal role in supervising the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi, which is one of the committee’s initiatives and an embodiment of the relationship between the three Abrahamic religions, and a deeply rooted platform for dialogue, understanding and coexistence among the believers in the divine books.