Grand Imam of Al Azhar Dr. Ahmed al-Tayen has commended the UAE track record of achievements in areas of education and culture.

This came in a meeting the Grand Imam had today with a visiting UAE delegation led by Sheikha Khulood Al Qasimi, Assistant Under-Secretary for Control Sector at the Ministry of Education.

"Al Azhar's educational curricula promote cultural pluralism and respect for others' beliefs and religions, a stance which embodies the essence of Islam and its utter rejection of extremism and support for tolerance and peaceful co-existence," said Sheikha Khulood during the meeting.

She hailed the Grand Imam's efforts to inculcate peace and tolerance at his missions overseas during which, she said, he attends conferences and seminars advocating concepts of citizenship and tolerance, in addition to his staunch espouse for the Islamic nation's national causes and sacred sites