The Minister of Education Participates in the Fourth Edition of the Al-Azhar Observatory
Mr. Mohamed Abdel Latif, Minister of Education and Technical Education, participated in the fourth edition of the "Listen and Speak" Forum, organized by the Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism at the Al-Azhar Conference Center in Nasr City, under the generous patronage of His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Dr. Ahmed El-Tayeb.
The event was attended by Counselor Mahmoud Fawzy, Minister of Parliamentary, Legal Affairs, and Political Communication; Dr. Mohamed El-Dweini, Undersecretary of Al-Azhar; Dr. Reham Abdullah Salama, Director of the Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism; and His Grace Bishop Ermia, General Bishop and Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center.
In his speech at the event, Minister Mohamed Abdel Latif expressed his pleasure at participating in the fourth edition of the "Listen and Speak" Forum, with the attendance of this distinguished group of religious and intellectual figures active in our cultural life, as well as youth from Egyptian and international universities. These events focus on several important issues, including volunteer work, the rejection of violence and extremist ideology, and the promotion of values of tolerance. These values represent human values that transcend borders and extend across time, embodying the true meanings of humanity, including nobility, eminence, and mercy.
The Minister pointed out that the Ministry of Education and Technical Education believes that volunteer work represents a comprehensive philosophy in building human life and an effective means of instilling moral values, developing a spirit of initiative, and enhancing awareness of the public interest. Therefore, it has included volunteer work in school excellence files as one of the evaluation criteria for various school competitions. The Ministry has also sought to enable students to engage in national projects with a tangible impact, including several initiatives to raise awareness among Egyptian families about all the problems that negatively impact the development of the Egyptian character and how to deal with them.
The Minister added that the Ministry is preparing for the new academic year 2025/2026 to launch a new curriculum that reinforces the value of volunteer work, highlights its role in shaping students' character, and emphasizes the individual's role in volunteer initiatives. Furthermore, the Ministry has sought to open more channels to enhance joint cooperation with civil society organizations and associations, and support a culture of community participation. In this regard, it has concluded several cooperation protocols to provide a genuine environment for volunteer work, in which all elements of the educational process participate in a real and effective manner. This will enable volunteer work to become a way of life, not just an activity. Minister Mohamed Abdel Latif emphasized that tolerance promotes the principles of mutual understanding and respect among individuals and encourages acceptance of diversity and difference. Therefore, the Ministry has been keen to protect its children against extremist ideology by incorporating numerous values and principles into religious education curricula that address respect for others and their beliefs, and encourage good coexistence with them. The educational curricula in the developed system are characterized by the practical application of the principle of citizenship, by incorporating the values of respect for others into Arabic language and religious education curricula at the basic education level, thus achieving their stated objectives. These curricula are based on four fundamental pillars: life skills, supportive human values, contemporary issues and challenges, and the unity and integration of knowledge. The Minister continued, "The Ministry has also incorporated the values of national awareness into the curriculum matrix of the preparatory stage of the developed education system, so that learning outcomes include the values of citizenship and tolerance. The Arabic language subject expresses the promotion of the values of tolerance and the rejection of violence, and showcases the bright side of Islamic civilization, represented by its inclusion and respect for others."
The Minister added that, in addition to this, the Ministry has activated the Equal Opportunities and Human Rights Units within the Ministry, the Directorates, and the Education Administrations, with the aim of consolidating human rights and spreading the culture of respect for others.
The Minister noted that the Ministry has given special attention to various artistic and social activities and has worked to promote correct behaviors and positive practices among children and their families in educational institutions through the Egyptian Child Empowerment Initiative.
The Minister said, "On this auspicious occasion, I would like to commend the role of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif in establishing the principles of volunteer work, tolerance, and the rejection of violence, and the role of the Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism in combating all destructive ideas, addressing current intellectual and societal challenges, and developing communication mechanisms with youth through Launching the "Listen and Speak" dialogue platform to discuss the most important contemporary issues that concern them, and to protect them against extremist thought by equipping them with critical thinking skills, logical analysis, and the pursuit of preserving their identity in the age of artificial intelligence. This is in addition to spreading awareness of the Palestinian cause and the historical rights of the Palestinian people.
The Minister praised the fruitful cooperation between the Ministry's experts and Al-Azhar scholars in several fields and activities, most notably the development of Islamic religious education curricula to truly express the moderation of Islam, its tolerant principles, moral values, and the ideals it advocates.
At the end of his speech, the Minister expressed his sincere thanks and deep appreciation to all those who contributed to organizing this important event and ensuring its successful outcome. He wished everyone continued success and that this forum achieves its desired goals and bears its desired fruits.
The forum aims to consolidate the principles of dialogue and respect for other opinions among university students and to establish effective communication mechanisms to listen to their opinions, aspirations, and aspirations for the future.