His Eminence, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Prof. Ahmad At-Tayyeb, received Bosnia and Herzegovina’s minister of foreign affairs to discuss the potentials of joint collaboration. During the meeting, the Grand imam affirmed Al-Azhar's keenness to increase the number of scholarships offered to students from Bosnia and Herzegovina, currently five, for studies in Islamic and Arabic disciplines as well as applied sciences. This initiative aims to help cultivate a generation of balanced and moderate youth capable of conveying the authentic teachings of Islam and fostering a culture of fraternity and constructive coexistence.
His Eminence asserted Al-Azhar's willingness to host imams from Bosnia and Herzegovina and train them at the Al-Azhar International Academy for Training Imams and Preachers (AIATIP). This intensive two-month training program will enhance their abilities in addressing various contemporary issues, such as women's issues, migration, and governance from a religious perspective, as well as the participation of Muslim communities in the development of the societies in which they live, among other important matters.
Furthermore, His Eminence underscored Al-Azhar's commitment to establishing a center for teaching Arabic language and dispatching Azhari scholars and professors to serve the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina in learning the language of the Holy Quran and connecting them to their cultural and religious heritage.
For his part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina expressed his pleasure at meeting the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and conveyed his country’s deep appreciation for His Eminence’s prominent role in promoting global peace, spreading the values of human fraternity, and presenting the true image of Islam. Minister Elmedin Konaković noted that many Bosnian graduates of Al-Azhar currently hold senior positions within Bosnian society and play an active role in advancing their communities. He further affirmed that Bosnia and Herzegovina serves as a bridge between East and West and seeks to benefit from Al-Azhar's extensive expertise in these fields. He emphasized his country’s commitment to educating its youth in a sound and authentic understanding of Islam, safeguarding them from terrorist groups that seek to exploit religion to spread hatred and extremism.