Sharjah24 - WAM: Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, is set to depart to the Kingdom of Bahrain on Thursday following an invitation from His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain to participate in the upcoming ‘Bahrain Dialogue Forum: East and West for Human Coexistence’ on 3-4 November.
The forum is set to be hosted under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and will be attended by His Holiness Pope Francis, Pontiff of the Catholic Church alongside 200 religious leaders and prominent academic and media figures from around the world.
The Grand Imam is also scheduled to hold a number of high-profile meetings on his first day in the Kingdom, namely with His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the Kingdom of Bahrain and Pope Francis, Pontiff of the Catholic Church, along with other religious leaders who will be participating in the Forum.
On the second day of the visit, the Grand Imam alongside His Majesty the King of Bahrain and Pope Francis will jointly plant a palm tree to symbolise joint determination in the face of climate change. This will then be followed by the closing session of the Bahrain Dialogue Forum, which will feature participation from the Grand Imam, King of Bahrain and Pope Francis.
The Grand Imam is also set to chair the 16th meeting of the Muslim Council of Elders which will include a joint meeting with Pope Francis, alongside senior figures from the Holy See.
On the third day, the Grand Imam is set to hold a number of important meetings with prominent Islamic and Christian organisations, including the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs in the Kingdom of Bahrain alongside university and youth leaders from Bahrain and members of the Emerging Peacemakers Forum.
The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar is scheduled to return to Cairo on Sunday morning.