The Deputy Grand Imām of al-Azhar, Dr. Muḥammad al-Ḍūwaynī, spoke of the important role played by al-Azhar in endorsing the values of peace and fraternity during a recent meeting with a Dutch delegation. Whilst speaking to the Dutch Secretary-General of the Foreign Ministry, Paul Huijts, Dr. Ḍūwaynī condemned recent incidents of destroying copies of the Qurʾān in Europe and expressed the opinion of al-Azhar that freedom of expression does not constitute such actions. For his part, Paul Huijts expressed the Dutch government’s condemnation of the incidents and its high regard for the role played by al-Azhar.