The Muslim Council of Elders, at its headquarters in Abu Dhabi, received H.E. Gayane Umerova, Chairperson of the Culture and Arts Development Fund in the Republic of Uzbekistan, where they discussed ways to enhance cooperation in reviving the legacy of the scholars of the ummah, promoting the values of tolerance and mutual respect, and preparing a generation of young people capable of building coexistence and peace.
During the meeting, H.E. Counselor Mohamed Abdel Salam expressed the Council’s appreciation for the efforts of the Republic of Uzbekistan in promoting the values of dialogue, tolerance, and human coexistence, and in preserving Islamic heritage—particularly in cities of historic importance to Islamic civilization such as Bukhara and Samarkand, which are home to a rich intellectual and spiritual legacy left by leading scholars of the ummah, foremost among them Imam Al-Bukhari.
For her part, H.E. Gayane Umerova praised the efforts of the Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, in promoting enlightened, centrist Islamic thought in East and Central Asia, as an influential civilizational and spiritual hub in the Muslim world. She affirmed her country’s keenness to strengthen cooperation with the Council in initiatives that serve young people and entrench shared human values.
The two sides discussed a number of initiatives of common interest, foremost among them cooperation in developing an educational programme for children and adolescents to instill in them the values of respect, moderation, and balance, as well as cooperation in organizing the next edition of the Youth Peacemakers Forum—one of the key initiatives of the Muslim Council of Elders aimed at preparing a generation of young people capable of spreading a culture of dialogue and respect for others.
They also touched on several projects designed to revive the legacy of Muslim scholars and highlight their contributions, in a way that strengthens the connection of new generations with this intellectual and ethical heritage and helps consolidate a shared civilizational identity.
The meeting was attended by H.E. Abdulaziz Okulov, Ambassador of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the United Arab Emirates.