Throughout 2025, the Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, maintained an active international presence at regional and global conferences and forums addressing issues of societal peace, interfaith dialogue, combating extremism and hate speech, promoting the ethical use of artificial intelligence, and reaffirming the role of religious leaders in tackling global challenges.
During the year, the Council participated in several high-level intellectual and religious conferences that explored the ethical and intellectual challenges facing the world. These engagements emphasized the need to restore the role of human and religious values in building cohesive societies, strengthen cultures of understanding and mutual respect among peoples, and reaffirm that responsible dialogue—rooted in wisdom and moderation—is a cornerstone for addressing ideological and religious conflicts. The Council also highlighted the critical role of religious leaders in safeguarding societies against extremism and division.
Key international engagements in 2025 included the Chan Forum in China, the Global Summit on Religious Freedom in Washington, D.C., and the Wilton Park Dialogue in the United Kingdom on the role and responsibility of religious leaders in crisis response. The Council also participated in the Global Justice, Love, and Peace Summit at Expo Dubai and the international conference “Maturidism: The School of Tolerance, Moderation, and Enlightenment” in Uzbekistan. Additionally, it contributed to the symposium “Memory and Its Relation to Human Dignity: Opportunities and Challenges of Global Population Aging”, where an international document supporting the protection and dignity of the elderly was launched.
Other notable events included the G20 Interfaith Forum in Addis Ababa, the Arab Media Forum in Dubai, the global conference “Finding the Courage to Pursue Peace” in Italy, the 16th Session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva, and the 8th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Kazakhstan. The Council also engaged in the World Council meeting of Religions for Peace, the Astana International Forum (AIF), the inauguration ceremony of Pope Leo XIV as head of the Catholic Church, the Media Forum of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Broadcasting Union in Fujairah, and the National Festival of Tolerance in the United Arab Emirates.
In addition, the Council co-organized several major international events in 2025, including the Islamic–Islamic Dialogue Conference in the Kingdom of Bahrain, the G20 Interfaith Forum in South Africa, and the Third International Conference on Combating Islamophobia in Azerbaijan. It also hosted an international panel discussion in Kazakhstan on the role of religious leaders in promoting sustainable peace, the Local Youth Conference on Climate Change in Egypt, and an international workshop titled “Media and Peace Journalism in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” in Kazakhstan. Furthermore, the Council organized the national symposium “When Scholars Meet Algorithms” in Indonesia.
The Council also conducted a visit to the U.S. state of Utah, meeting with religious leaders, academics, and government officials, and welcomed delegations from international institutions and global churches to strengthen the values of human fraternity, expand interfaith cooperation, and support ethical innovation in artificial intelligence.
These efforts reflect the Council’s vision of transforming shared religious values into effective tools for building global peace and fostering collaboration among religious and intellectual institutions worldwide. Looking ahead to 2026, the Muslim Council of Elders will continue its mission to promote peace globally, spread the values of dialogue, tolerance, and coexistence, reaffirm the role of religious leaders in addressing global challenges, and advance the ethical use of artificial intelligence.