Minister: Egypt's policy based on coexistence, freedom of worship

CAIRO, March 4 (MENA) - Immigration Minister Nabila Makram said the state policy is based on freedom of worship and coexistence within the framework of the values of respect and acceptance of the Other.

She underlined that the Egyptian people embrace the values of peace and love among the various social categories.

She made the remarks on Monday while attending on behalf of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi a ceremony marking the 800th anniversary of a meeting between St Francis of Assisi and Sultan al Kamil al Ayyubi.

Cardinal Leonardo Sandri of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches attended the ceremony.

The ceremony revives the Islamic-Christian dialogue, Makram said, noting that Al Azhar Imam Ahmed Tayyeb and Vatican Pope Francis signed a document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together in Abu Dhabi a few weeks ago, calling for a stop to the shedding of innocent blood, bringing an end to wars, conflicts, environmental decay and the moral and cultural decline that the world is presently experiencing and urging all believers to rediscover the values of peace, justice, goodness, beauty, human fraternity and coexistence in order to confirm the importance of these values as anchors of salvation for all, and to promote them everywhere.