Sisi: Christians form integral part of Arab society’s fabric

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi stressed yesterday that citizenship and equal rights for all are firm values ​​that represent the Egyptian state’s approach towards all citizens; a fact which is established by the state through actual and realistic practices in all aspects of life in Egypt to maximise the values ​​of peace, love, non-discrimination and the spread of a culture of pluralism as well as combating fanaticism and extremism.

The president’s remarks came during his meeting yesterday with the heads of churches participating in the General Assembly of the Middle East Council of Churches, whose current session is being held in Cairo, in the presence of Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark.

During the meeting, the president welcomed the attendees noting that the General Assembly of the Middle East Council of Churches is being held in Egypt for the first time since the establishment of the Council in 1968. The president stressed that the Christian brothers in all Arab countries constitute an integral part of the fabric of Arab society.

The president also reviewed Egypt’s efforts in terms of the restoration of many archaeological Christian monuments, sites and churches replete with unique historical manuscripts and icons, as well as the project to revive the path of the Holy Family, as part of the state’s interest in protecting the Egyptian Christian heritage.

For their part, the participants lauded Egypt’s valuable contributions to human history and its quest for peace, as well as the important role Egypt plays in the Middle East, and appreciated its efforts under the leadership of President Sisi to reach settlements for the urgent and complex problems facing the region.

These problems, the participants said, cause great suffering to humans. They underscored their support for Egypt’s efforts to combat terrorism and extremist ideology, as well as achieving development, construction and reconstruction in Egypt and the entire Middle East.

The president and the participants also discussed ways to enhance various aspects of relations between Egypt and the Middle East Council of Churches, especially with regard to efforts to support dialogue and citizenship, and reject extremism in various countries of the region.