The Forum for Intercultural Dialogue at the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services Organizes the “Together to Confront Hate Speech” Conference
Dr. Rev. Andrea Zaki:
Confronting hate speech is a collective responsibility to protect social peace and entrench the values of citizenship
Grand Mufti of Egypt:
Religion, in its essence, is a message of mercy and construction; hate speech is a danger that threatens people and nations
Anba Mikhail:
“Love never fails” is the foundation for building individuals and society
Wassim Haddad:
Religious institutions, education, and the arts are key tools in confronting hate speech and strengthening social cohesion
The Forum for Intercultural Dialogue at the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services organized a conference entitled “Together to Confront Hate Speech” on Wednesday in Cairo, in cooperation with the Egyptian Dar Al-Iftaa, the Coptic Orthodox Church, and the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID), with high-level participation from religious, intellectual, and media leaders.
The conference was attended by His Eminence Prof. Dr. Nazir Ayyad, Grand Mufti of the Arab Republic of Egypt and President of the General Secretariat of Fatwa Authorities Worldwide; Dr. Rev. Andrea Zaki, Head of the Evangelical Community in Egypt and President of the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services; His Grace Anba Mikhail, Bishop of Helwan, Ma‘sara, and 15 May, and representative of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II; as well as Mr. Wassim Haddad, Director of Arab Region Programs at KAICIID, in addition to a distinguished group of scholars, thinkers, journalists, media professionals, and public figures.
In his speech, Dr. Rev. Andrea Zaki emphasized that organizing this conference stems from a firm belief that hate speech is one of the most serious challenges threatening social peace. He stressed that confronting it is a collective responsibility requiring the integration of efforts by religious, educational, media, and legislative institutions, and joint action to promote a culture of dialogue and acceptance of others, while safeguarding the values of citizenship and pluralism.
He noted that the Forum for Intercultural Dialogue works to open meaningful spaces for constructive dialogue and to strengthen the values of coexistence, affirming that the religious and cultural diversity that characterizes Egyptian society is a source of strength and richness, not division or exclusion.
For his part, the Grand Mufti of Egypt, Prof. Dr. Nazir Ayyad, affirmed that religion in its essence is a message of mercy and the building of humanity and the preservation of human dignity. He warned against the danger of misusing religious texts outside their proper context and objectives, whether to justify violence or to distort the image of religion, stressing that hate speech undermines trust within societies and paves the way for violence and instability.
He explained that confronting hate speech requires a comprehensive vision based on reforming religious and intellectual discourse, activating the role of the media, strengthening legal awareness, and building individuals capable of coexistence and respect for diversity.
His Grace Anba Mikhail affirmed that the slogan “Love never fails” represents a constant محور in all meetings of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II with church leaders, as it forms the true foundation for building individuals and society. He stressed that love is a practical approach to confronting exclusion and hatred and to promoting social peace.
In turn, Wassim Haddad, Director of Arab Region Programs at KAICIID, stated that the conference title accurately reflects the nature of the challenges facing society, emphasizing the pivotal role of religious institutions in guiding communities and spreading the values of tolerance and respect for religious and intellectual diversity, thereby strengthening social cohesion and creating a more stable environment for all.
The conference included an opening session followed by three parallel working groups that discussed the phenomenon of hate speech through the lenses of education, media and drama, and legislation and laws, with the participation of a number of experts and specialists.
In the closing session, which included Ms. Samira Louka, Head of the Dialogue Sector at the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services, and Dr. Nevine Mossaad, Professor of Political Science at the Faculty of Economics and Political Science, Cairo University, the key outcomes of the working sessions were reviewed and the conference recommendations were highlighted.
The conference concluded by emphasizing that confronting hate speech is a shared national and humanitarian responsibility that requires the integration of efforts among religious, educational, media, and legislative institutions, continued cooperation among the organizing entities, and the adoption of sustainable awareness initiatives and programs that contribute to strengthening social peace and entrenching the values of citizenship, dialogue, and peaceful coexistence.
