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ABU DHABI / WAM
The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair organised a panel discussion titled “The Document of Human Fraternity: An Important Message to the World,” featuring Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, the Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders, and Bishop Christophe Zakhia El-Kassis, the Apostolic Nuncio to the UAE, moderated by Dr Nashwa Al Ruwaini.
At the beginning of the seminar, Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam affirmed that the Document of Human Fraternity, which was co-signed by the eminent religious figures His Eminence Dr Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, and His Holiness Pope Francis, Head of Catholic Church, in Abu Dhabi, the capital of tolerance, in 2019, constituted the most significant and essential event in modern human history.
He praised the gracious patronage and continuous support from the wise leadership, for spreading the noble values and principles of the document.
The Secretary-General added that through the signing of the Document of Human Fraternity, His Eminence Dr Ahmed Al-Tayeb and His Holiness Pope Francis sought to leave a humanitarian legacy for future generations, aiming to promote understanding and communication among religions and cultures, and to establish the values of fraternity and peaceful coexistence.
He emphasised that the document has become a source of inspiration for millions of people worldwide, embodying lofty human values. It has been adopted by the United Nations as an international day for human fraternity and has been included in educational programmes in several countries around the world, with some countries adopting it as a national document.
Furthermore, Judge Abdelsalam explained that the Document of Human Fraternity has led to numerous initiatives, such as the Abrahamic Family House and the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, among others.
He highlighted the efforts of the Muslim Council of Elders in promoting the values of the document through initiatives such as interfaith dialogue, international peace convoys, the Emerging Peacemakers Forum, the Bahrain Dialogue Forum, and the Global Faith Leaders Summit for Climate, as well as the Faith Pavilion in COP28. He also praised the Egyptian Family House initiative as a culmination of the fraternal relationship between His Eminence Dr Ahmed Al-Tayeb and His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, the Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St Mark.
For his part, Bishop Christophe Zakhia El-Kassis stated that the Document of Human Fraternity represents the culmination of constructive and sincere dialogue between the two largest religious institutions in the world, the Catholic Church and Al-Azhar.
He noted that His Holiness Pope Francis directed efforts to disseminate the values and principles of the document by engaging with institutions, organisations, decision-makers, and others to integrate it into educational systems. The goal of this was to activate the comprehensive role of the document, enhance its understanding, and foster greater adoption in societies worldwide, especially among youth and future generations.
He also emphasised the importance of the document in providing clear principles and values for living in a world marked by diversity of opinions, conflicts, and differences which also represents a pioneering approach for individuals and communities that focuses on human respect and concern for the interests of others. He praised the support of the United Arab Emirates and the Emirati wise leadership for all efforts aimed at promoting dialogue, tolerance, and coexistence.