Top Muslim and Christian clerics from the Middle East gathered in Cairo on Tuesday (February 28th) for a two-day conference on promoting co-existence hosted by Al-Azhar, AFP reported.
The "Freedom and Citizenship" conference comes as Coptic Christians in Egypt's Sinai flee attacks by the "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL) .
"Exonerating religions from terrorism no longer suffices in the face of these barbaric challenges," said Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb in a speech on the opening day, referring to regional conflicts.
Al-Tayeb called for dispelling "the lingering mistrust and tensions between religious leaders that are no longer justified, for if there is no peace between the proponents of religions first, the proponents cannot give it to the people".
Coptic Christian Pope Tawadros II called for "fighting extremist thought with enlightened thought", saying that "Egypt and the region have suffered from extremist thought resulting from a mistaken understanding of religion that has led to terrorism".
The conference, including Muslim muftis and Christian clergy such as Lebanese Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rahi, is to issue a closing statement on Wednesday.
