ABU DHABI, 21st March, 2025 (WAM) - Today marks the eleventh anniversary of the founding of the Muslim Council of Elders, under the leadership of His Eminence Professor Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar. The Council comprises a distinguished group of scholars, sages, and dignitaries from across the Muslim world-individuals known for their wisdom, integrity, moderation, and independence.

Established on 21 Ramadan 1435 AH, corresponding to July 19, 2014, the Council was founded to promote peace, uphold the values of dialogue, tolerance, and human coexistence, support just causes across the Muslim world, strengthen unity, and amplify the role of religious leaders in addressing global challenges.

Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders, stated that since its inception eleven years ago, the Council has devoted its efforts to advancing peace, fostering human fraternity and mutual understanding, and highlighting the tolerant values of Islam in its engagement with others.

He underscored the importance of dialogue, mutual respect, and interreligious understanding, as well as bolstering intra-Islamic dialogue to foster unity and solidarity. He also expressed the Council's deep gratitude-on behalf of its chairman, members, and staff-to the United Arab Emirates and its wise leadership for their continued support of the Council's initiatives to entrench the values of peace and coexistence.

As part of its mission to foster tolerance and peaceful coexistence, the Council launched a series of East-West Dialogue Rounds in cities such as Florence, Paris, Geneva, Cairo, Abu Dhabi, and Manama. These efforts aimed to realise the Council's vision of promoting peace through mutual understanding and coexistence and enhancing dialogue between religions and cultures.

These initiatives culminated in the historic signing of the Document on Human Fraternity in February 2019 by the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar. and Pope Francis, Pontiff of the Catholic Church.The Council also launched International Peace Convoys and Ramadan Missions, engaging communities across continents to strengthen ties with Muslims worldwide, promote enlightened and moderate thought, correct misconceptions, and encourage positive integration. These efforts also sought to counter hatred, racism, extremism, terrorism, and Islamophobia. Furthermore, the Council has organised numerous international conferences that explored themes such as peace, citizenship, diversity, coexistence, climate responsibility, and meaningful media discourse.

Year after year, the Muslim Council of Elders continues to uphold and spread universal human values-affirming the importance of dialogue, tolerance, mutual respect, and acceptance of others; protecting religious symbols and sanctities; presenting the true image of Islam; confronting hate speech, extremism, and Islamophobia; and strengthening ties with Muslim communities worldwide-in pursuit of a more peaceful and compassionate future for all humanity.