SW News: The supreme head of the Coptic Orthodox Church Patriarch Tawadros II joined hands with Egypt’s highest Islamic cleric to celebrate the 10th anniversary of a foundation that promotes inter-religious harmony. The patriarch and Sheikh Ahmed al Tayyeb, Grand Imam of Al Azhar University in Cairo, took part in a commemorative event on Monday, November 8, on the campus of the varsity in Cairo.

Entitled ’10 Years of Love, Cooperation and Brotherhood’, the event held to mark the 10th anniversary of the ‘House of the Egyptian Family’ was attended by several bishops, journalists, leaders of Christian and Muslim communities and politicians, including judge Adly Mansour, who was the interim president of the country from July 2013 to June 2014 after the military overthrew Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.

Undersecretary of the Communications and IT Committee of the Chamber of Deputies Martha Mahrous paid kudos to the House of the Family and its role in fostering religious harmony and curbing sectarian violence that mostly targets Coptic Christians. The foundation is headed by a liaison office headed alternatively by the Muslim top cleric and the head of the Coptic Church.

The ‘House of Egyptian Family’ hosts meetings of priests and imams who are invited to conduct debates and conferences in schools to promote peaceful coexistence between members of both religions.

Anba Theodosius, Coptic prelate of Gaza, hailed the vision of the patriarch and the grand imam. He said the two leaders care for the interests of all Egyptians irrespective of their religion.

The formation of the House has had a positive impact on society and it has helped mitigate the intensity of Christian oppression to a great extent.