Aqeel: Religious institutions must cooperate with policymakers, as they are effective actors to combat the Coronavirus

Monica Mina: Maat concludes its training program for religious leaders by launching a number of community initiatives to confront the second wave of the Coronavirus

Maat Foundation for Peace, Development and Human Rights has concluded its training course, which it prepares for religious leaders and youth active in religious institutions under the title “Strengthening human solidarity through interfaith dialogue in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic,” which lasted for two weeks during the month of December of this year. This program is also implemented remotely. In compliance with all precautionary and preventive measures.

Ayman Aqil, President of Maat Foundation, stressed the importance of the role of religious leaders as influential actors in society, as this session aimed to rehabilitate them and develop their skills in spreading the health awareness necessary to prevent the pandemic and focus on religious sermons aimed at peace and sending messages of reassurance to these peoples during the pandemic, especially in light of the spread The second wave of the epidemic. 

Based on our conversation with Monica Mina, the project manager, she stated that the training course concluded with the launch of a number of social and supportive initiatives for interfaith dialogue. These initiatives are implemented by religious leaders and youth active in religious institutions with the support of the Maat Foundation, provided that these initiatives aim to strengthen joint efforts and cooperation to confront The repercussions of the second wave of the epidemic in light of news of the emergence of a new strain. Therefore, the initiatives will revolve around awareness-raising platforms and assisting the concerned authorities and authorities in disseminating correct information and combating rumors and false news, in addition to campaigns against social stigmatization and hate speeches that are escalating in light of the Coronavirus.

It is worth noting that the Maat Foundation is implementing this project with the support of the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Center for Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue, with the participation of a number of members of seminaries of Coptic Orthodox and Catholic churches and representatives of the Intercultural Dialogue Forum at the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services, in addition to the participation of a coordinator. General of the Interfaith Dialogue Center and a fellow of the King Abdullah International Center for Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue - Dr. Kamal Berekaa Abdel Salam, along with another number of Al-Azhar youth and academic researchers in the culture and peace-building and religious pluralism. The Egyptian societal context.