CCMUP
Partnership promotion Meeting at the Swedish Embassy
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Centre of Christian-Muslim Understanding & Partnership (CCMUP)

History

The Episcopal/Anglican Diocese of Egypt played an important role in the drafting of the interfaith agreement between the Anglican Communion and Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, signed in 2002 at Lambeth Palace in London. Since then, the Diocese and Al-Azhar have worked together on many community projects through Egypt, and have arranged and participated in an annual dialogue meeting.

The Centre of Christian-Muslim Understanding and Partnership (CCMUP) was established in 2022 in order to bring these projects together in one organization, in order to further develop and resource this vital work in the future. The idea for this Centre was developed and supported by the Anglican Archbishop of Alexandria, the Most Rev. Dr. Samy Fawzy Shehata, and His Eminence, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Dr Ahmed Al-Tayyeb. Archbishop Samy then asked Archbishop Emeritus Mouneer Anis to develop the Centre and serve as its first director.

Academic Courses

We offer academic courses & lectures  in both Christian and Islamic Studies in partnership with the Alexandria School of Theology and Al Azhar University in order to enable scholars and faith leaders to develop a deep and robust understanding of other faiths.

Workshops and Visits

We arrange visits to Christian and Islamic sites, such as the Al Azhar Mosque, and the Coptic Museum, among many other historically special sites.

Engaging Initiatives

The Centre of Christian-Muslim Understanding and Partnership organizes various projects at a grass-roots level to promote cooperation for the common good. Our initiatives involve working in schools, as well as creating projects to advance interfaith peace and cooperation, specially among the youth. One such initiative currently being carried-out is the ‘It Is Our Planet: Let Us Save It’ initiative, which provides educational resources on environmental issues to children and teenagers, to teach them how they can play an active positive role in protecting & restoring the environment.

Conflict Resolution & Peace-Building

Rather than being a cause of, or opportunity for, conflict, we believe that religion is essential for promoting peace between communities affected by sectarian strife. For this reason, the Centre is committed to training teams to go into areas of current or potential sectarian conflict in Egypt and beyond in order to promote understanding, peace and reconciliation.

Vision

We envision Egypt to be a nation in which people from different faith and cultural backgrounds could live together in genuine and just peace, profound mutual understanding and cooperation for the public good.

Mission: Training, Engaging & Reconciliation

CCMUP is dedicated to fostering interfaith and intercultural understanding, peace-building and community service throughout Egypt. Through interfaith education, dialogue, and collaborative peace-building initiatives, we empower individuals and communities to bridge religious and cultural divides, resolve conflicts peacefully, and work together for the public good, for a just and peaceful society.

To advance this vision & mission, CCMUP focuses on the following projects:

  • Academic Workshops: Providing educational programs on Christian and Islamic studies for current and future faith leaders.
  • Community Engagement: Organizing projects and workshops for both Christian and Muslim laypersons to foster practical cooperation, improve communities, and build friendly interfaith relationships.
  • Dialogue & Peace Training: Offering training in constructive interfaith and intercultural dialogue, reconciliation, and peace-making techniques.
  • Conflict Resolution: Deploying teams to areas with a history of sectarian conflict to implement peace-building activities and prevent future conflicts.
  • Environmental Stewardship: Encouraging religious leaders to address environmental challenges and the climate crisis through awareness campaigns and community-led sustainability projects.

Our Activities

  • Christian & Islamic Studies

  • Workshops & Field Visits

  • Grassroots Initiatives for Different Social Groups

  • Dialogue Initiatives

  • Conflict Resolution

  • Peace-building

  • Projects Promoting the Protection & Restoration of the Environment