On 22 April 2024, Pope Tawadros II was granted an honorary doctorate degree by the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT) which is affiliated to the League of Arab States. The Pope was granted the degree for “his efforts in the service of humanity and upholding the values of tolerance”, as announced by Ismail Abdel-Ghaffar, President of the Academy.
Service and tolerance
Pope Tawadros was participating in the ‘Media and Information Literacy and Global Understanding: Peace for All’ conference, organised by the League of Arab States in cooperation with the UNESCO, the United Nations Education, Science, and Culture Organisation.
The opening session of the conference witnessed the announcement of honorary doctorate degrees granted by AASTMT to Pope Tawadros and the Grand Imam of al-Azhar, Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayyeb.
The President of the Academy, Dr Abdel-Ghaffar, said: “After reviewing the recommendation of the Academy’s Executive Council for the 47th regular session held on Saturday 20 April 2024 at the Academy’s headquarters in New Alamein, and in implementation of the Academy’s second Education Council of 2024, the President of the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport decided to grant His Eminence the Grand Imam Dr Ahmed al-Tayyeb, (Sheikh of al-Azhar Mosque), and H.H. Pope Tawadros II (Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of Mark) an honorary doctorate degree for efforts in the service of humanity and upholding the values of tolerance.”
The Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, and Dr Abdel-Ghaffar presented the honorary doctorate to the Pope amid resounding applause.
They had both received the Pope upon his arrival in Emirates Hall at the headquarters of the League of Arab States before the opening session of the conference commenced.
Pope speaks love and light
Pope Tawadros gave a word in which he expressed his happiness at being at the Arab League, and his gratitude for receiving an honorary doctorate from the AASTMT. He stressed the importance of education for humans and communities, noting that university education contributes to creating a new formulation of the scientific and cognitive mind on the basis of scientific methodology.
He stressed that life is closely linked to the value of love, saying that a person cannot live without love, the love of goodness and love of others. “Love is what connects a person to God and to others; it is unimaginable that the world can be sustained without love,” he said.
“We start every day,” the Pope said, “with prayers seeking God. We pray: ‘Let Your face shine upon us and let the light of Your divine knowledge enlighten us. Grant us, O our Master, to be sons of light and sons of the day, to pass this day in chastity, righteousness, and good conduct’.”
The Pope said that the media has become an essential part of society, a link between humans and the world. It has removed barriers between individuals and societies. Everyone, he said, is responsible to make the media an effective means of serving mankind, education, and advancing humanity. “Those who contribute to scientific development, those who provide humanitarian initiatives that preserve the environment, and those who intervene to stop wars, demonstrate the most esteemed forms of love for others.”
Third honorary doctorate
Accompanying Pope Tawadros to the conference were Anba Danial, Metropolitan of Maadi and Secretary of the Holy Synod; Anba Yulius, General Bishop of Old Cairo and the Bishopric of Services; Anba Pavli, General Bishop of Montazah in Alexandria; Fr Kyrillos Anba Bishoy, Manager of the Papal Office; Fr Mousa Ibrahim, Spokesman for the Coptic Orthodox Church; Ms Barbara Soliman, Director of the Pontifical Office for Projects and Relations; Deacon Joseph Reda; and Ms Odette Riad from the papal media office.
The honorary doctorate granted by AASTMT is the third honorary doctorate Pope Tawadros has received. In 2015, he was granted an honorary doctorate from Beni Sweif University for his role in promoting social peace in Egypt, and another in 2023 from Pazman Peter University in Hungary for his contribution and interest in Christian education and community development.
The conference
The high-level international conference on the role of media and information literacy in promoting global peace has been held as a move to highlight the pivotal role played by the media and information culture in fostering global understanding and peace.
Hosted by the League of Arab States, it was jointly organised by the AASTMT, the UNESCO Alliance for Culture, Media, and Informatics, and along Autonoma University of Barcelona; it runs from 22 to 24 April 2024.
The conference convenes international experts and representatives from media and cultural institutions to explore the transformative potential of media and information as catalysts for unity, dialogue, and cross-cultural appreciation. It aims to highlight the pivotal role of media culture in shaping public consciousness and steering public sentiment towards the promotion of peace and harmonious coexistence. It also aims to underscore the significance of technology and information in advancing these objectives, and in honing critical analysis skills for media content and fostering the discernment between authentic information and misinformation. Such proficiency is essential for cultivating societies that prioritise peace and mutual understanding.
Watani International
23 April 2024