The Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs of Djibouti said, “Al-Azhar makes great efforts in facing the challenges that target our Muslim youth. Prof. Ahmad At-Tayyeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ash-Sharif received, on Monday morning, a delegation headed by Mr. Momen Hassan Berri, Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs of Djibouti, at the headquarters of Al-Azhar to discuss ways of boosting joint cooperation in scholarly and missionary fields. The Grand Imam said, “Al-Azhar Ash-Sharif is keen to strengthen its scientific and missionary relations with Djibouti, and to provide all support for the dissemination of its moderate approach in this brotherly country”. HE said that Al-Azhar is ready to receive the imams of Djibouti to train them on adopting the moderate thought, to be the nucleus of the staff that will run the Institute for Moderation and the Prevalence of the Culture of Peace recently established by Djibouti to promote the moderate thought and peace in the country. His Eminence pointed out that Al-Azhar has a pioneering experience regarding the peaceful coexistence among the citizens of the same country through the establishment of the Egyptian Family House whose tenth anniversary of founding has recently be celebrated. It has achieved great successes that contributed to laying the foundations of unity and brotherhood in Egypt. He also stressed Al-Azhar's readiness to increase the number of scholarships provided to Djiboutian students to study at Al-Azhar University with the opportunity to enrol in scientific faculties, such as the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Engineering and others, in addition to the faculties specialized in the teaching of religious disciplines and the Arabic language.

On his part, Mr. Momen Hassan Berri, Minister of Endowment and Religious Affairs in Djibouti, expressed his great appreciation for His Eminence the Grand Imam for the great efforts he exerted in confronting the repercussions of globalization and the challenges it entails as it targets, in the first place, our Muslim youth, stressing his country's keenness to benefit from the expertise of Al-Azhar Ash-Sharif in the missionary and scientific fields. He also pointed out that his country has recently established the Institute of Moderation and the Dissemination of a Culture of Peace in Djibouti to contribute to the graduation of new generations of preachers capable of facing the current challenges, expressing his hope that Al-Azhar Ash-Sharif support this new edifice to enable it to achieve its objectives by providing it with teachers, books and other necessary support to perform the mission it aspires to perform. 

The Grand Imam granted the Djiboutian Minister the Medal of Al-Azhar Ash-Sharif and the latter presented to His Eminence the Medal of the Djiboutian culture. In addition, the protocol of cooperation between Al-Azhar Ash-Sharif and the Institute of Moderation and the Dissemination of a Culture of Peace in Djibouti was co-signed by Dr. Muhammad Al-Douini, Grand Imam’s Deputy, and Mr. Momen Hassan Berri, Minister of Endowment and Religious Affairs of Djibouti.