Al-Azhar Grand Imam: Ready to open Arabic center in Canada to serve Muslims and foster cultural ties.

Canadian Ambassador hails Al-Azhar’s role in promoting peace and coexistence.

His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, Prof. Ahmad al-Tayyeb received Mr. Ulric Shannon, Canadian Ambassador to Egypt, at Al-Azhar headquarters to discuss ways to enhance scientific and religious cooperation.

During the meeting, the Grand Imam expressed Al-Azhar's readiness to open an Arabic language teaching center in Canada to serve Canadian Muslims and Arab and Islamic communities, and help them learn the language of the Holy Quran. He also expressed Al-Azhar's readiness to host Canadian imams at Al-Azhar Academy for the Training of Imams, Preachers and Fatwa Researchers to develop their preaching skills, fortifiy them academically against extremist ideology. This training also enables them to articulate correct Islamic concepts regarding issues of coexistence, women's rights, the positive integration of Muslims into Western societies, and other contemporary issues of concern to communities.

The Grand Imam affirmed that Al-Azhar Al-Sharif is keen to strengthen its relations with Islamic centers and religious institutions around the world, as part of its global mission to spread peace and promote the culture of dialogue, coexistence, and human fraternity. He emphasized Al-Azhar's openness to all cultural and religious institutions around the world. This resulted locally in the establishment of the Egyptian Family House, which brings together Al-Azhar Al-Sharif and various Egyptian churches, which contributed to the eradication of many forms of sectarian strife and uprooting them.

His Eminence explained that Al-Azhar has moved from local peace to achieving global peace, through openness to major religious and cultural institutions around the world, such as the World Council of Churches, the Middle East Council of Churches, and the Canterbury Cathedral. These efforts culminated in the signing of the historic Human Fraternity Document by both the Grand Imam and the late Pope Francis in 2019.

The Canadian Ambassador expressed his deep appreciation for the Grand Imam, commending Al-Azhar's pivotal role and the Grand Imam's role in promoting the values of peace and coexistence. He emphasized that Al-Azhar enjoys a prestigious status and widespread respect among Canada's Muslims, who number more than two million.

Mr. Shannon welcomed Al-Azhar's initiative to establish an Arabic language teaching center in Canada, stressing that it would receive significant attention from members of the Muslim community there, given Al-Azhar's status as a major religious authority and a trusted source in the Muslim world.