The International Symposium for Dialogue was held in Cairo during the period 12-13^th Sha’ban, 1422 H. corresponding to 28-29 Oct., 2001.It was organized by the International Islamic Forum for Dialogue in cooperation with the World Islamic Congress, based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia which spares no effort to encourage dialogue and support security and co-existence among cultures and societies. The symposium was welcomed and enhanced by the Holy Azhar, which assents the distinguished example set by Egypt in the coexistence of religions and cultures in Cairo, Egypt. High class delegates of Islamic, Christian and Cultural Organizations, from all over the world exceeding 40 organizations participated in the symposium. Along two days, they discussed the following topics:

1.       The gravity of the world security deteriorations after the insidious accidents of Sept. 11,2001 in the U.S.A.

2.       The gravity of the phenomenon of terrorism around the world from the aspects of its definition, causes, and how to rectify it.

3.       The dangerous consequences of the mix-up of concepts and standards of the meaning of terrorism, wars, and the legitimate defense for the life, property, and the sovereignty of nations.

4.       The consequences of injustice, deserting the religious divine values, moral deterioration, and family and their destructive impacts on the security and  stability of societies.

5.       The dangers of using the nuclear and biological mass destruction weapons and their grave impacts on the safety of the living and the environment.

6.       Justice and mutual respect among civilizations and cultures are the main   source to   eradicate the phenomenon of terror and wars and the best methodology to achieve safety among people. 

In conclusion, all the participants of the Symposium agreed on the following:

1.     Condemning the insidious attack on the World Trade Center in New York and The Pentagon building in Washington D.C., being a terrible act violating the religious divine values, laws and international standards.

2.     Condemning all kinds and sources of terrorism, being an integrated whole. The stand against terrorism should be constant and unchangeable whatever our policies, geographical locations, religious beliefs or ethnic origins are.

3.     Emphasizing the rights of man and peoples to defend themselves, their properties and sovereignty, and librating the occupied lands, as well as the right of self-determination, being legitimate rights destined in the divine religious values and international standards.

4.     Emphasizing that wars and revenge are not the proper way to fight and eliminate terror. They might be sources for justifying the phenomenon of terrorism and developing its motives. This opens the door for further tragedies, destruction and disasters against women, children, old people and the environment. The tragedies inflicting the people of Afghanistan today, because of a war, they are not guilty of, are a dangerous source to encourage terrorism, and develop its causes and repercussions.

Thus such actions in Afghanistan are condemned by the participants of the symposium. 

5.     Emphasizing that the implementation of justice and conforming to its divine standards, the mutual respect among civilizations and cultures fighting injustice, poverty and moral corruption are the proper way to eradicate the phenomenon of terror in the world together with its reasons and causes.

6.     The participants call the International and regional organizations to take serious and pragmatic procedures in order to put an end to the Palestinian – Israeli conflict, acknowledge the right of the Palestinians in establishing their state and have Jerusalem as its capital in accordance with the pertinent U.N resolutions and the International standards in general. They ask for terminating the Israeli aggressions against the Palestinian lands including Jerusalem as well as the other. Islamic and Christian holy places, being the only active way to terminate the focus of world tension in the contemporary history.

7- Calling for an international conference where by all religious, cultural, official and public entities in the world participate in. The purpose of this conference is to reach an agreed upon definition of terrorism , clarify its reasons and motives, define safe positive means to confront it and to develop a charter of media values based on divine religions values to be a base for a global just and fair system.

8- Asserting the positive role of the humanitarian relief organizations and the co-operation between Islamic and Christian relief organizations for the aid of the victims of wars and terrorism in Afghanistan and everywhere else . The participants condemn the in just raid practiced by same insidious entities to disfigure the bright image of the Islamic relief organizations , aiming at putting obstacles of this charity noble human work .

9- Condemning the heinous attack on a church in Pakistan which claimed the lives of a number of worshippers, and condemning any attack on mosques or churches anywhere, since such attack violates religions values.

10- Appreciating the positive and fair stands of number of religions, cultural and political leaderships, asserting the tolerance of Islam and its denial to terrorism justified by religions values, and emphasizing the holiness of the life of man, his dignity and security.

11- Emphasizing the importance of the recurrence of such symposiums because of their significance in achieving inter-relation and communication among religions and cultures, being the proper way to achieve safe co-existence among people.

12- Delegating the president at the International Islamic Forum for Dialogue to translate this communiqué into the living language and publishing it allover the world, and sending copies thereof to political, religions and cultural leaders.

In conclusion, the participants of the Symposium expressed their thanks to the International Islamic Forum for Dialogue, the World Islamic Congress, based in Saudi Arabia, and the World Islamic Council, based in Cairo, for organizing and hosting the International Symposium for Dialogue, since dialogue is the proper way for understanding and achieving safe living among societies and cultures.

Cairo on 13^th  Sha’ban, 1422 H. corresponding to 29 Oct., 2001

The participating delegations were :

The Holy Azhar, the Coptic church, the international Islamic council for Da’wa and Relief, The Center of Sunna and Serra Studies in Qatar, The pontifical Council For Inter-religious Dialogue- Vatican, The League of Arab States, the World Muslim congress, The International Islamic forum for Dialogue in Saudi Arabia, The International Church Council – Geneva, The General Islamic conference for Jerusalem, The Middle East Council For Churches in Lebanon, Egyptian Ifta’a House, The Islamic- Christian Organization in Jordan .

The Lebanese Ifta’a House, The Palestinian Ifta’a House, The Syrian Orthodox Church, The International Islamic Committee for woman and child, The Ifta’a House and Abu Al-Nour Islamic Society in Syria, The Coptic Church in Sudan, The International Islamic Da’wa in Libya, The International People Friendship in Sudan, The European Islamic Conference in France, The Coptic Church is Sudan, The Catholic Church in Egypt, The world Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools at Thought in Iran. The International   Conference for Religion and Peace in the USA, The Islamic Da’wa Organization in Sudan, The Anglican Church in Egypt .

The Islamic Organizations Union in Europe, The Permanent Committees for Dialogue between Religions – The Holy Azhar, The Islamic Studies Center in Damascus, The Egyptian Medical Syndicate Committee For Humanitarian Relief, The Christian Heritage in Syria, The Islamic Research Complex in AL-Azhar – Al Azhar University, The Hashemite Jordanian Charity Organization, The Muslim Youth Organization in Egypt, The Islamic Universities Association, The Religion Dialogue Society in Sudan, The Islamic – Christian Dialogue Committee in Lebanon, The International Solidarity Organization for Human Rights in the United States, and others, in addition to a group at scholars and media people .

The following distinguished figures have addressed the symposium:

-         His Eminence, the Grand Imam, Sheikh of the Holy Azhar, Chief of the International Islamic Council for Da’wa and Relief.

-         His Holiness Shenoda the third, Pope of Alexandria. And Patriarch  of Alkraza Almorcossia in Alabassia .

-         His Excellency Mr. Amro Mosa the Secretary General of the League of the Arab States.

-         His Excellency, the highbrow, Prof. Dr. Yousef Al-Karadawi, Chief of Sunnah Research Center.

-         His Excellency Mr. Kamel Al-Sherif Secretary General of the International Islamic Council for Da’wa and Relief.

-         His Excellency Dr. Tarek Metry, Representative of the World Church Council.

-         His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Omar Naseef, President of the Muslim World Congress in Saudi Arabia.

-         Prof. Dr. Hamid Bin Ahmad Al-Refaie, president of the International Islamic forum for Dialogue, member of Presidency of International Islamic Council for Daw’a and Relief

-         His Excellency Cardinal Fransece Erinze President of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue -Vatican.

-         His Excellency AL-Sheikh Mohamed Ali Al-Taskhiri, Head of the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought.

-         His Excellency Prof. Dr. Willium Findly, Secretary General of the conference on Religion and Peacein the U.S.A.

-         Dr. Nasr Farid Wassel Mofti of Egypt .

-         Dr. Fawzy El Zefzaf , Head of the committee of Dialogue in Al Azhar.

-         Dr. Riadh Jarjour secretary General of the Middle East Church council, Lebanon.

-         Dr. Raouf Abu Jaber the Secretary General of Islamic Christian  Organization in Jordan.

-         H.E. Hana Keldani , representative of the Caltholic church in Palestine.

-         Bishop Felithos Farag, Member of Religion Dialogue in Sudan.