Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism (AOCE) received a delegation of young people from the World Council of Churches (WCC) to discuss the role of religion in building global peace, establishing values of dialogue, and promoting human fraternity. The visit aimed to enrich the youth's knowledge, deepening their understanding of the authentic values and teachings of Islam, most notably the values of coexistence and respect for others’ rights, which promote a culture of integration.
Dr. Reham Salama, AOCE’s General Director, emphasized the pivotal role played by WCC in disseminating the principles of the Document on Human Fraternity, reaffirming that it represents a roadmap for peaceful coexistence and solidarity among peoples. Further, she stressed the necessity of deepening the understanding and application of inclusive citizenship, which preserves the security and stability of societies, guarantees the rights of all without discrimination, and contributes to building a cohesive social fabric.
In response to a question by a member of the delegation about the foundations of interaction between individuals of diverse religions, Dr. Reham quoted the Almighty's statement: "And do not argue with the People of the Scripture except in a way that is best,” explaining that the verse calls for civilized dialogue based on respect, far from fanaticism and conflict. She also pointed out that the Holy Quran contains numerous verses that praise and commend Jesus (PBUH), highlighting his lofty status.
In a related context, Dr. Reham Salama emphasized that the current global situation, marred by unfortunate wars and conflicts that have led to massive human tragedies, imposes an urgent and pressing need to re-establish religion as an effective value in our daily lives. Genuinely, religion represents a fundamental source of peace and security for all souls, particularly those burdened by despair. Therefore, a return to the genuine teachings of religion and noble moral values is sufficient to uproot the seeds of hatred and intolerance from hearts, enabling faith to become a driving force toward integration and compassion, and building a world of peace.
As a part of the visit, the delegation had a tour inside the Observatory to gain firsthand insight into the systematic monitoring and analysis process employed by AOCE to track and confront extremist ideologies. In addition, they got a comprehensive review of the AOCE’s working mechanism, most notably the ways of combating extremism, as well as the counter-narratives to hate discourse that threatens the fabric of societies.
At the end, the delegation also visited the rich library of the Al-Azhar Observatory, which includes its in-depth studies in multiple languages, as well as visual materials and digital content aiming at combating hate speech and intolerance.