• Grand Imam: Al-Azhar is concerned with all humanitarian causes, especially the Palestinian cause.

• South Korean Ambassador expresses his country's appreciation for Al-Azhar's efforts in promoting tolerance and promoting human fraternity

Today, Sunday, at the headquarters of Al-Azhar, HE Prof. Ahmad At-Tayyeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, received Mr. Kim Yong Hyun, South Korean Ambassador to Cairo, and his accompanying delegation to discuss aspects of cultural and religious cooperation between Al-Azhar and South Korea. At the beginning of the meeting, the 

Grand Imam welcomed Mr. Hyun, stressing Al-Azhar's keenness to boost cooperation with South Korea, especially in the academic, educational, and religious fields. He also expressed Al-Azhar's readiness to host South Korean imams to train them to promote a culture of tolerance and peaceful coexistence, which Al-Azhar is always working to consolidate.

The Grand Imam also confirmed that the message of Al-Azhar is a universal one based on promoting the correct message of Islam and consolidating a culture of coexistence among people. HE then referred to the efforts of Al-Azhar in promoting interfaith dialogue, and its constant endeavors to enhance cooperation with religious institutions around the world, such as the Vatican, the World Council of Churches, and the Church of Canterbury. He explained that these efforts spring from Al-Azhar's religious responsibility and the belief in its historical role in promoting the true faith, based on an enlightened moderate approach. Such an approach can confront extremism, fanaticism, and terrorism and help promote a culture of peace and human fraternity in various parts of the world.

The Grand Imam also outlined that Al-Azhar is concerned with the causes of the Muslim world and humanity at large, especially the Palestinian cause and the suffering of the Palestinian people in defending their land and legitimate rights. He praised the stance of free peoples, especially the fair-minded, non-Zionist Jews, who denounced the ill practices of the haughty Zionist entity towards the people of Gaza. Those Jews, added the Grand Imam, declared their rejection of the Zionist aggression against innocent civilians and the brutality against children, women, and the elderly. They, he confirmed, disavowed the Zionist targeting of hospitals, churches, homes, and the shelters for the displaced.

For his part, Mr. Hyun expressed his pleasure to meet the Grand Imam, stressing his country's appreciation for the efforts made by Al-Azhar inside and outside Egypt on the path of promoting dialogue, tolerance, and human fraternity. He also applauded the Egyptian and South Korean experiences in entrenching coexistence among all religious sects, stressing his determination and keenness to strengthen and support bilateral relations between Al-Azhar and South Korean cultural and academic institutions.