As part of the strenuous endeavors to strengthen East-West civilizational dialogue, Grand Imam At-Tayyeb succeeded in restoring dialogue between Al-Azhar and the Vatican after a 10-year tension and estrangement span. He took the initiative to make a historic visit to the Papal Headquarters in Rome, on May 25, 2016. In that visit, he discussed with Pope Francis amendment to the dialogue agreement concluded between the two parties in 1989 to suit the latest developments on the humanitarian scene, in a strong message against extremism and violence witnessed in the whole world.

The bilateral relations culminated in the historic, first ever, visit by a Pope of the Vatican to the headquarters of the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar. On April 28, 2017, Pope Francis made this visit as part of his visit to Cairo to participate in the World Peace Conference held by Al-Azhar in cooperation with the Muslim Council of Elders, in Cairo. Then, Pope Francis’ meeting with the Grand Imam represented a historic summit between the two greatest religious symbols in the world. It was also a practical confirmation of the Grand Imam’s successful efforts in sustaining Al-Azhar-Vatican coordination to consolidate the values of peace, coexistence, and dialogue.

In the wake of this visit, His Eminence the Grand Imam made a visit to the Vatican, on November 7, 2017, on the sidelines of his visit to Rome to participate in the East-West Dialogue sessions. The bilateral discussions then touched on the mechanisms for implementing the recommendations of the peace conference. This also included issues of sectarian conflicts, religious persecution, racism, issues of promoting peace and tolerance, and the values of justice and equality.

Then several successive visits and meetings followed, all with the aim of promoting a culture of tolerance and coexistence and consolidating the principles of civilized communication between different peoples and cultures.