Al-Azhar Grand Imam, Prof. Ahmad At-Tayyeb, received today, Sunday, at Al-Azhar headquarters, Ambassador Louis Dumas, the new Canadian Ambassador to Egypt. The Grand Imam welcomed the Ambassador and expressed Al-Azhar's readiness to raise the level of scientific, educational and cultural cooperation between Canada and Al-Azhar. HE noted that there are 128 international students from Canada studying at Al-Azhar, some of whom are studying on scholarships at Al-Azhar's expense, and some at their own expense. His Eminence stressed that Al-Azhar is ready to increase the number of scholarships and receive Canadian imams to refine their skills through Al-Azhar moderate curricula and training them in an intensive program to address emerging issues. He also added that moderate discourse and combating negative phenomena that are hostile to the followers of religions is the only way for the world to survive today.

Al-Azhar Grand Imam stressed that in many countries today, the phenomenon of Islamophobia has spread so widely that it has reached a new stage which we can call provocative Islamophobia, making a person so hostile to the Muslims that he may commit hostile acts against them without prior interaction with them. It is hatred generated without direct dealings with Muslims; it is hatred for hatred’s sake. Such a matter requires the intervention of Western governments, and Al-Azhar has great experience in addressing such phenomena. Al-Azhar extends its hand to all governments in order to combat extremist ideology and enhance the correct and tolerant image of Islam away from neglect or exaggeration. It is also ready to participate in conferences on religions held by the West. 

The new Canadian Ambassador, for his part, affirmed his full readiness to cooperate with Al-Azhar and to benefit from the expertise of this prestigious institution in the field of religious freedom, promoting tolerance and combating hatred. He affirmed that Canada, despite the hostile events it witnessed at times towards Muslims like in many countries around the world, seeks vigorously to eradicate the phenomenon of Islamophobia. The Canadian Prime Minister held a conference for the first time in Canada to combat "Islamophobia", which concluded with several important recommendations that will be implemented. Canada is characterized by the diversity of its population; there are 3 Muslim ministers in the current government, and a Muslim judge was recently appointed, indicating diversity and integration.