Pope Francis commends Muslim Council of Elders' peace promotion efforts

Abu Dhabi: Pope Francis of the Catholic Church has received Mohamed Abdel Salam, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders (MCE), in the Vatican.

The Pope stressed the importance of continuing to work to promote dialogue between religions and cultures for peace and human coexistence, expressing his appreciation for the role of the MCE in this regard.

For his part, the MCE Secretary-General, Mohamed Abdel Salam, expressed the appreciation of the Council and its Chairman, Prof. Ahmed El-Tayyeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and MCE Chairman, for Pope Francis' efforts to consolidate brotherhood and coexistence among all human beings, as well as his constant calling for peace and promoting the culture of interaction.

At the end of the meeting, the MCE Secretary-General presented the Pope with the shield of the Muslim Council of Elders, which has three words: "Peace, coexistence and human brotherhood."

The Pope congratulated Abdel Salam on his new mission as Secretary-General of the MCE, wishing him success.

Abu Dhabi-based Council

The Abu Dhabi-based MCE is an independent institution concerned with promoting peace in Muslim and non-Muslim societies and spreading the values of dialogue, tolerance, coexistence and human brotherhood.

The council includes a group of the nation's wise men and scholars who are known for their moderation.