Al-Azhar plans global peace forum in Thailand

Al-Azhar, the oldest and most revered institution of Sunni Islamic learning, along with the Muslim Council of Elders, is planning to host a significant global conference on coexistence in Thailand. This event will bring together a diverse group of religious leaders and figures from around the world to highlight the crucial importance of promoting peaceful coexistence and human fraternity, according to Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, who made the announcement in Bangkok.

Recently, King Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand and Queen Suthida welcomed Grand Imam Al-Tayeb at the Grand Palace in Bangkok. The king expressed his pleasure at the Grand Imam’s visit and praised the efforts of Al-Azhar and the Muslim Council of Elders in fostering values of dialogue, peace, tolerance, and harmonious coexistence.

King Vajiralongkorn emphasized the high regard in which the Thai people hold Al-Azhar, noting that they live in harmony and unity. He expressed Thailand’s eagerness to enhance cooperation and relations with Al-Azhar by increasing the number of Thai students and scholars attending the institution, expanding the recognition of religious institutes that adhere to the Al-Azhar curriculum, and enhancing collaboration between Al-Azhar and Islamic centers in Thailand.

The king pointed out that Al-Azhar is a beacon of enlightenment for Thai Muslims and is globally recognized for its progressive and moderate stance. He noted the strong desire among Muslim families in Thailand to send their children to study at Al-Azhar, where its graduates often assume important roles within Thai society.

King Vajiralongkorn expressed confidence that the Grand Imam’s historic visit would pave the way for new and inspiring initiatives and projects in Thailand. He also noted that Thai Muslims would benefit greatly from the public engagements held by Al-Azhar institutions during the Grand Imam’s stay.

Grand Imam Al-Tayeb expressed his delight with his visit to Thailand and gratitude for the warm reception. He commended Thai students at Al-Azhar for their exemplary ethics and diligence, noting their significant contributions across various faculties at Al-Azhar University.

Al-Tayeb reiterated Al-Azhar’s commitment to maintaining strong ties with its alumni worldwide, viewing them as ambassadors of peace, tolerance, and human fraternity. He confirmed Al-Azhar’s readiness to establish centers for teaching Arabic in Thailand, to serve the Muslim community in learning the language of the Qur’an, and to intensify training courses for Thai imams at the Al-Azhar Academy. Additionally, he pledged to increase scholarships for Thai Muslims to further their studies at Al-Azhar.