The Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Prof. Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, asserts that youth are the cornerstone of achieving progress and development. The Council calls for the empowerment of young people and the enhancement of their skills through scientific and intellectual training, providing them with human values, and giving them opportunities for active participation, expression of their opinions, and support for their constructive initiatives and ideas, contributing to a better future.
In a statement marking World Youth Skills Day, which is observed annually on July 15, the Muslim Council of Elders emphasized the need to expand cooperation between governments, educational institutions, civil society organizations, and others to support efforts aimed at equipping young people with the skills necessary for creativity and innovation. The Council, led by His Eminence Prof. Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, places great importance on empowering youth and developing their abilities to face global challenges, recognizing the active role of youth in fostering peace, enhancing human coexistence, and building bridges of communication and dialogue with others.
Likewise, the Muslim Council of Elders is deeply committed to supporting youth and developing their skills and abilities to strengthen their role in promoting peace and spreading the values of dialogue, tolerance, and coexistence. This commitment is demonstrated through various initiatives such as the “Emerging Peacemakers Forum,” which provides a platform for dialogue among youth aged 18 to 30, enabling them to launch national and regional projects related to peacebuilding and promoting the values of tolerance and human fraternity. Additionally, the “Human Fraternity Dialogues” aims to introduce university students to the values of human fraternity, creating an international network and platform for students worldwide to share creative ideas for fostering interfaith and intercultural solidarity within communities. Other initiatives include the “Ethics Education Fellowship,” which seeks to integrate human and ethical values into educational curricula, and the “Azadi Fellowship Program” in Islamabad, which aims to establish a culture of religious and cultural dialogue, support efforts to enhance peaceful coexistence, combat hate speech and extremism, and address global peacebuilding challenges. These efforts reflect the Council’s belief in the crucial role of youth in nation-building and community development.