The Chairman of the National Press Authority (NPA), Eng. Abdel Sadek el-Shorbagy, held a meeting on Friday with Minister of Awqaf (Religious Endowments) Dr Osama al-Azhari, in the presence of board chairmen and editors-in-chief of national press institutions.
The meeting is part of a series of gatherings conducted by the NPA to boost co-operation and coordination with various state institutions on a number of important and priority issues.
During the meeting, Eng. el-Shorbagy commended Awkaf Ministry’s significant efforts in implementing Egypt Vision 2030 on several issues, foremost of which is the renewal of religious discourse to combat extremist ideologies, build sound cultural and religious awareness, promote tolerance, and spread the correct moderate thought. He hailed the ministry’s continuous efforts in improving the administrative performance of affiliated agencies and enhancing the scientific and advocacy performance of preachers, aiming to raise their intellectual and scientific levels to deliver an enlightened religious message.
The NPA chairman pointed out to the ministry’s efforts in “rebuilding houses of worship,” both through the opening of new mosques and ongoing maintenance and development of the existing ones. He further commended the ministry’s continuous and fruitful initiatives in religious awareness, community development, and human empowerment.
El-Shorbagy stated that the world is facing fast and successive crises, which impose further challenges and require joint efforts of all state institutions to maintain the country’s strength amidst these developments. He added that intensifying co-operation becomes a necessary imperative within the framework of enhancing awareness, spreading truths, responding to lies, and confronting malicious ideas.
The head of the NPA stressed that the national press will remain a supporter of the nation, a powerful tool in the processes of enlightenment, education, spreading awareness, and confronting rumours and misinformation. He said, “We are always ready to enhance co-operation with the Ministry of Awqaf within the framework of the national press institutions’ role to clarify facts, counter false ideas, and support the state’s plans for renewing religious discourse and spreading the correct moderate thought of Islam.”
For his part, Minister al-Azhari voiced his happiness at being present with a number of prominent writers and journalists, stressing that Egypt’s national press publications are bastions of awareness and intellectual fortresses, possessing invaluable treasures and a great journalistic heritage that has enriched the nation with knowledge and thought.
In the course of the meeting, al-Azhari reviewed his ministry’s efforts to renew religious discourse, combat extremist ideologies, build sound religious awareness, and promote values of tolerance. The minister also highlighted the latest administrative performance improvement initiatives in Awqaf directorates, as well as efforts to enhance the scientific and advocacy performance of the imams.
Azhari discussed the ministry’s priorities during the current and future period, which include combating secular extremism and the decline of moral values, in addition to enhancing human development.
Dr al-Azhari confirmed that extremism knows no religion. “Terrorism and extremism are ideas that transcend religions, nations, and cultures,” he said. “We are in an intellectual war that we must confront to protect our nations, our children, and even our future generations,” he added, stressing the need to be extremely cautious in dealing with the youth and avoiding the influence of social media, which is filled with malicious electronic battalions targeting the spread of despair, confusion, and doubts about state institutions.
Azhari also highlighted the ongoing efforts to build strong and solid relations between religious institutions, represented by Al-Azhar, the Ministry of Awqaf, and the Fatwa House to formulate and implement joint programmes for the benefit of religion, the nation, and citizens. He said, “We continue to work together to strengthen the bridges of co-operation.”
