Muslim Council of Elders’ Efforts in Promoting Coexistence Highlighted in a Symposium at the Karachi International Book Fair
As part of its cultural program at the Karachi International Book Fair 2025, the Muslim Council of Elders organized the first symposium titled “The Muslim Council of Elders’ Efforts to Promote Coexistence Worldwide.” The event was attended by a number of academics, religious and intellectual leaders, and attracted significant interest from visitors to the fair.
The symposium featured Dr. Azeer Mahmood Al-Azhari, member of the Islamic Ideological Council of Pakistan and President of the World Association of Al-Azhar Graduates in Pakistan, and Father Norbert Paul, Assistant Priest at St. Michael’s Catholic Church and was moderated by Dr. Muhammad Arshad Al-Azhari, Director of the Muslim Council of Elders’ branch in Pakistan.
Dr. Muhammad Arshad Al-Azhari introduced highlighted the Muslim Council of Elders’ vital role in promoting peace and spreading the values of dialogue, tolerance, and coexistence, while countering narratives of extremism, hatred, fanaticism, and discrimination. He emphasized that the Council has emerged as a global institutional framework working to strengthen coexistence and peace through practical initiatives and constructive interfaith and intercultural dialogues.
Father Norbert Paul affirmed that the Document on Human Fraternity, which was co-signed in Abu Dhabi by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, and the late Pope Francis, former Pontiff of the Catholic Church, has become a global reference for embedding values of coexistence among followers of different religions and cultures. He noted that the document has helped establish a universal humanitarian discourse based on mutual respect and the rejection of hatred.
Dr. Azeer Mahmood Al-Azhari shed light on the various initiatives implemented by the Muslim Council of Elders to correct misconceptions, promote dialogue among youth, strengthen East-West dialogues, and organize intellectual and religious meetings aimed at building bridges between different civilizations. He explained that the Council’s efforts in interfaith dialogue and Islamic–Islamic dialogue contribute to presenting Islam as a religion that calls for peace and coexistence, while reinforcing the principles of human fraternity.
This symposium is part of the Muslim Council of Elders’ activities at the Karachi International Book Fair, reaffirming its mission to promote peace, entrench the values of dialogue and tolerance, build bridges of coexistence, and highlight the role of thought and knowledge in addressing contemporary challenges and fostering mutual respect among peoples.
The Council’s pavilion at the Karachi International Book Fair is located in Hall 1, Pavilion 45 at the Karachi Expo Center and is open December 18 to 22, 2025.