Dialogue continues between Vatican and the Al-Azhar University

The Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue wishes to advise that His Eminence, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, President of the aforesaid Council, accompanied by His Excellency, Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, Secretary of the Council and Monsignor Khaled Akasheh, Office Lead for Islam, will travel from Wednesday, 22 February until Thursday, 23 February, to Cairo (Egypt) to participate in a seminar which will take place at the Al-Azhar University focusing on the theme: The role of al-Azhar al-Sharif and of the Vatican in countering the phenomena of fanaticism, extremism and violence in the name of religion.

The Cardinal President will lead the Catholic delegation which will also include His Excellency, Bruno Musarò, Apostolic Nuncio in Egypt.

Following the historic encounter between Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, His Excellency, Professor Ahmad Al-Tayyib which took place on 23 May 2016, the Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue has travelled on numerous occasions to Cairo, where a number of preliminary encounters and meetings have taken place.

This week's meeting will take place, as others have before, on the vigil of February 24, remembering the visit which Pope Saint John Paul II paid to Al-Azhar on that day in 2000.