His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan - Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces– received today members of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity (HCHF).

During the meeting held at Qasr Al Bahr, His Highness welcomed the efforts put forward by the HCHF to promote the values of the Document on Human Fraternity, including harmony, coexistence, and mutual understanding, in addition to launching initiatives that serve all humanity.

His Highness stressed the continuation of the UAE’s approach to work to consolidate the values of coexistence, human fraternity, and harmony, noting that is important to strengthen these values today more than ever, especially in light of the common challenges facing the world. The COVID-19 pandemic emphasized the pressing need for cooperation and human solidarity among societies and countries to confront it and overcome its effects, he added.

His Highness also confirmed the UAE’s support for the HCHF, which works to actualize the values and principles outlined in the historic Document on Human Fraternity.

For their part, the HCHF members informed His Highness of the committee’s 2022 initiatives and objectives to advance human fraternity on a global scale and establish partnerships for the future. They expressed their gratitude to His Highness for his concern and expressed their appreciation for his vision to achieve global peace and his support for causes promoting coexistence among all people.

HCHF Secretary-General Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam expressed the HCHF’s deep gratitude to His Highness for his support and his concern for the realization of the aspirations of the Document on Human Fraternity, which encourages the Higher Committee to press forward with efforts to positively impact the region and the world.

“The historic moment of human fraternity that took place three years ago in Abu Dhabi has now transformed into a global project thanks to the considerable support His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan provides to this humanitarian project,” Judge Abdelsalam added.

For his part, His Eminence Cardinal Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, HCHF meeting chair, expressed His Holiness Pope Francis’ appreciation for the support His Highness provides for the HCHF, and the humanitarian projects and initiatives undertaken by the Committee, stressing that what the UAE leadership is doing represents an inspiring model of global humanitarianism.

The Higher Committee of Human Fraternity – an international independent committee instituted to promote human fraternity values - includes religious scholars and international figures in the fields of culture and education from the UAE, Egypt, United States, Spain, Bulgaria, Liberia, and Romania.

The members are: H.Em. Cardinal Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, HCHF meeting chair and President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue of the Holy See; Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, HCHF Secretary General and former adviser to the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar; Professor Mohamed Hussein Mahrasawi, President of Al-Azhar University; Irina Bokova, former Director-General of UNESCO; Rabbi M. Bruce Lustig, Senior Rabbi at Washington Hebrew Congregation; Rev. Prof. Dr. Ioan Sauca, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches; Leymah Gbowee, Nobel Peace Laureate; H.E. Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi; Dr. Sultan Faisal Al Remeithi, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders; Monsignor Yoannis Lahzi Gaid, former personal secretary to His Holiness Pope Francis; and Yasser Hareb, an Emirati writer and TV presenter.

The meeting comes three days before the world will celebrate International Day of Human Fraternity on February 4th, a day that also marks the third anniversary of the historic signing of the Document on Human Fraternity in 2019 by His Holiness Pope Francis and His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Professor Ahmed Al-Tayeb under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.