Tunisian President Kais Saied meets on Sunday with Al-Azhar's Grand Imam Ahmed El-Tayyeb (Photo courtesy of Al-Azhar)
Tunisian President Kais Saeid voiced his country’s keenness to enhance scientific and cultural relations with Egypt’s top religious authority Al-Azhar, as he met on Sunday with Grand Imam Ahmed El-Tayyeb in Cairo.
Saeid has made a three-day official visit to Cairo since Friday, his first to the country since he took the post as president in 2019. During his visit, he held talks with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.
Saeid also visited the New Administrative Capital’s Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ and the grave of former Egyptian President Gamal Abdel-Nasser.
During the meeting with Saeid, El-Tayyeb said Al-Azhar is ready to form a scientific committee to serve Islamic culture and promote cooperation between the universities of Al-Azhar and Al-Zaytuna.
Saeid welcomed El-Tayyeb’s proposal to form a joint scientific committee, which would seek to achieve a scientific exchange between Tunisia and Al-Azhar, a statement by Al-Azhar read.
“I would like to say, while I am in Arab Egypt, the Cairo of Al-Muizz [Li-Din Allah Al-Fatimi] and the Sheikhdom of Al-Azhar that we need to work together in order to protect our Arab youth from the thoughts that have infiltrated our societies,” the statement quoted Saeid as saying.
He added that these thoughts “are exploited by extremist groups to mislead the youth”.
El-Tayyeb lauded the deep-rooted relations between Egypt and Tunisia.
He also affirmed the readiness of Al-Azhar to train Tunisian preachers in how to spread moderate teachings of Islam.
Saeid made a tour around the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ, accompanied by Bishop Tadros, the bishop in charge of the cathedral.
Saeid got a souvenir, an icon depicting the Holy Family’s journey in Egypt, from Bishop Tadros at the end of his visit, saeid Spokesman for the Coptic Orthodox Church Moussa Ibrahim.
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