China, Al-Azhar discuss confronting extremism, cooperation

CAIRO – 30 May 2017: Al-Azhar Grand Imam of Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb received director of the Chinese State Administration for Religious Affairs Wang Zuoan Tuesday at Al-Azhar Institution’s headquarters in Cairo.

Zuoan praised Al-Azhar, the Islamic world's most prestigious university, for its “great efforts” in the face of extreme ideologies around the world, stressing that Islamic culture is an integral part of Chinese culture.

Zuoan expressed his country’s keenness to boost scientific and cultural cooperation with Al-Azhar as well as increase Chinese missions to Al-Azhar for training and study.

For his part, Tayeb pointed out that the Al-Azhar Observer monitors and replies to all publications and religious rulings issued by extreme groups across the world in different languages to protect youth from extreme and violent thoughts.

He expressed Al-Azhar’s willingness to train more Chinese youth in an intensive program to tackle contemporary challenges in different societies.

Tayeb asserted that the curricula of Al-Azhar schools and university promotes values of tolerance and justice, noting that Al-Azhar has held several meetings with different religious leaders across the world to spread peace among followers of all religions.

Al-Azhar scholars have led the process of revitalizing religious discourse in Egypt and confronting extremist ideology and incitement to violence, aiming at stopping the series of terrorist attacks that has hit the country over the last few years.