Brazilian President Dilma Vana Rousseff has officially invited the grand imam of al-Azhar to address the opening ceremony of the 2014 Soccer World Cup.
She invited Sheikh Mohamed Ahmed al-Tayyeb to deliver a speech on “Peace and the Need for Tackling Prejudice and Violence in the World” at the
inauguration of the world’s largest sporting event, Al-Bilad website reported.
Brazil’s Ambassador to Cairo Marco Antonio Diniz Brandão conveyed the official invitation in a meeting with the Sheikh of Al-Azhar in his office.
Al-Tayyeb in this meeting elaborated on the activities of Al-Azhar and said it is a scientific institution that seeks to shed light on the teachings of Islam and promote Islamic values such as tolerance.
The Brazilian envoy, for his part, presented a report on the status of Muslims in Brazil and the spread of mosques and Islamic circles in the South American country.
The 2014 FIFA World Cup will kick off in a ceremony on June 12. The opening match will be between Brazil and Croatia on Friday, June 13.
A total of 32 teams split into eight groups will be vying for the coveted World Cup trophy in Brazil.
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