The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ash-Sharif, Prof. Ahmad At-Tayyeb, received an Italian Senate delegation, headed by Senator Nicola Latorre, Chairman of the Defense Committee, during their visit to Cairo. The Grand Imam stated that Al-Azhar is an educational institution that works to establish peace among all people. Therefore, it exchanges visits with religious leaders around the world to build bridges of communication and achieve interfaith peace. It has thus held dialogue sessions with Archbishops of the Canterbury Church in London and the World Council of Churches in Geneva, and with the Pope at two summits in the Vatican and Cairo. These visits, noted the Grand Imam, are meant to consolidate the culture of dialogue and tolerance as advocated by all religions. Grand Imam At-Tayyeb emphasized that Al-Azhar is aware of the importance of preserving a unified societal fabric in Egypt, and therefore it established the Egyptian Family House to present a practical model for Muslim-Christian equality in Egypt. The Grand Imam indicated that Al-Azhar also proposed a draft bill against inducement of hatred and violence in the name of religion. The proposal was submitted to relevant authorities with the purpose of reducing the manifestations of hatred and intolerance promoted by some extremist groups. It was also meant to promote all the means to disseminate a culture of tolerance and brotherhood among the members of one and the same nation and to maintain community cohesion and stability. He then explained that Al-Azhar's curricula are based on intellectual pluralism and dialogue and that it teaches the different sects to students in a way that immunizes them against exclusivist affiliation with a particular ideology or polarization by extremist groups. 

For his part, Senator Latorre expressed his country’s appreciation of the role of Al-Azhar in consolidating interfaith dialogue in Egypt and around the world. He also asserted that Italy is well aware of the significance of Al-Azhar’s voice and its message that smoothly reach the Italians. He praised the speech of the Grand Imam at Al-Azhar World Peace Conference in the presence of the Pope, saying to the Grand Imam, “We still remember your words in that conference.” Then, Senator Latorre indicated that the role played by Al-Azhar in preparing the students to adopt pluralism and dialogue is very important and indispensable. He added, “Interfaith dialogue is strategic and essential in building a world free from chaos.”