His Eminence Dr. Nazir Mohamed Ayyad, Grand Mufti of Egypt and President of the General Secretariat for Fatwa Authorities Worldwide, received a high-level Irish delegation headed by H.E. Eden O’Hara, Ambassador of Ireland to Egypt, and accompanied by Bishop Dr. Mounir Hanna, Director of the Christian-Muslim Centre for Understanding and Partnership, along with several Irish religious leaders, academics, and community representatives. The meeting focused on strengthening interfaith dialogue, peaceful coexistence, peacebuilding, and cooperation in countering extremism. The Grand Mufti emphasized that dialogue is a fundamental principle in Islam and a cornerstone of societal progress, justice, and human dignity.

The Grand Mufti also highlighted the efforts of Al-Azhar and Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta to promote moderate religious discourse, correct misconceptions, and counter extremism, expressing Dar al-Ifta’s readiness to translate its scholarly publications into multiple languages and highlighting the forthcoming Haseen platform. Ambassador Aidan O’Hara commended Egypt’s experience in interfaith dialogue, while Bishop Dr. Mounir Hanna, Archbishop Emeritus of the Episcopal Church and Director of the Christian-Muslim Centre for Understanding and Partnership, stressed the importance of building bridges of trust and mutual understanding. The Irish delegation also included religious leaders, academics, and community representatives, who exchanged experiences on Muslim-Christian coexistence in Ireland and Egypt and explored opportunities for continued cooperation in promoting peace and countering extremism.