MICHIGAN, 1st May, 2025 (WAM) -- The Muslim Council of Elders is set to take part in the inaugural edition of the America International Arabic Book Fair in Dearborn, Michigan, from 1-4 May 2025, at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Centre.

The Council's participation aims to strengthen engagement with Arab and Muslim communities, as well as with the broader American public, by promoting the values of moderation, tolerance, and coexistence, and fostering constructive dialogue around key issues facing local communities.

Commenting on the Council's participation, Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders, stated, "We are thrilled to participate in the America International Arabic Book Fair, celebrating Arabic culture and fostering dialogue in Dearborn's vibrant community and the United States of America in general. Through this participation, we aim to advance the noble cause of peace through dialogue and understanding of the community's needs and challenges.

The Muslim Council of Elders' mission is centered on fostering unity and bridging divides by promoting mutual respect among all communities. We hope that the inaugural edition of the America International Arabic Book Fair will be a healthy platform for meaningful exchanges while strengthening our shared commitment to coexistence and human fraternity."

Throughout the fair, the Muslim Council of Elders' pavilion will showcase over 250 diverse intellectual and cultural publications, including several of the latest releases from Al-Hokama Publishing for 2025. The pavilion will also feature more than 20 works by His Eminence Prof. Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders.

These works aim to highlight the tolerance of Islam and the richness of its intellectual and philosophical heritage. Titles include "Al-Qawl al-Tayyib," "From My Old Notebooks," "A Perspective on East-West Dialogue," "Tradition and Renewal," "For the Sake of Peace," "Insights into the Thought of Imam Al-Ash'ari," "Etiquette and Values," and "Toward a Contemporary Jurisprudential Renewal," among others.

As part of its seminar programme, the Council will host a seminar titled "Countering Islamophobia: Building Bridges Through Dialogue and Understanding," on Friday, May 2, 2025. The seminar will tackle the pressing issue of Islamophobia, a significant concern for Arab and Muslim-Americans, while also shedding light on the Council's efforts in combatting this issue. Furthermore, it aims to explore how dialogue and cultural exchange can reshape perceptions, as well as the crucial role of the media and cinema in propagating and countering this phenomenon.

The second seminar will take place on Saturday, May 3, and will be titled "Intra-Islamic Dialogue: A Reading of the Ahlul Qiblah Call''.

The seminar will discuss the 'Ahlul Qiblah Call'-a charter for unity among Islamic traditions-which was launched by the Council during the Intra-Islamic Dialogue Conference held in the Kingdom of Bahrain in February 2025.