Pope’s UAE visit a courageous step for religious harmony
The visit of Pope Francis head of the Catholic Church, and the Grand Imam of Al Azhar, Dr Ahmed Al-Tayeb, to the UAE last week has rightly attracted global attention. The visit by the Pope, the first-ever journey by a Catholic Pontiff to the Arabian Peninsula, drew headlines in the media, with an audience of perhaps hundreds of millions having followed it on television. It was a remarkable occasion, the impact of which will long be felt, both in the United Arab Emirates and far beyond.
Perhaps of longer-lasting significance, though, is the outcome of the Global Conference of Human Fraternity which the Pope, the Grand Imam, and leaders from other religious faiths, attended, and the Document on Human Fraternity that both Pope Francis and the Grand Imam signed. Representing the fruits of detailed discussions on a variety of topics, this document offers a way forward in terms of promoting greater understanding between Islam and Christianity.
Both Pope
Francis and the
Grand Imam have called for the widest possible dissemination of, and discussion of, the document, in schools and elsewhere across society. As the process gets under way, we will be able to assess whether their noble initiative bears fruit. We must hope that it does so, for only through the building of a common sense of human fraternity will humanity be able to move forward.
It is already evident, though, that the visit has been recognised as being one of great importance. As Rev Johnnie Moore, President of the Congress of (US) Christian leaders and a member of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, said in an opinion piece for Fox News: “It is impossible to exaggerate the significance” of the visit.
It was not a matter of pure chance that this historic encounter took place in the UAE. When Pope Francis and the Grand Imam accepted the invitation extended by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to come to Abu Dhabi, they did so in the knowledge of the UAE’s reputation as a country where religious and cultural tolerance among its many diverse communities is deeply rooted and thriving.
The UAE could not have wished for a better start as it embarks on the celebration of 2019 as its ‘Year of Tolerance’.
The visits by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam also attracted international attention to the deep resonance among Muslims, Christians and other religions from varied nationalities and cultural backgrounds and the mutual respect these faiths and cultures enjoy in the UAE. This is, in fact, the outcome of the noble values instilled in our society by the country’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed. Without that fundamental element in our society, it is difficult to imagine if such an historic event would ever have taken place.
It was a courageous step to take, and the Pope, the Grand Imam and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed deserve credit and thanks for having taken it.
As Reverend Moore said: “The UAE has long been a beacon of openness, freedom and tolerance in the Islamic world. But this week’s events have taken those efforts to another plane, entirely. They are the fodder of history, examples of profound leadership in a turbulent time, and they deserve the commendation of the entire world.”
We in the Emirates can, perhaps, hope that our experience in building a society based on the pillars of security, stability, sustainability and human fraternity may serve as a future model for the building of a new Middle East.
Whether, as Reverend Moore suggested, the heartwarming and hugely significant initiatives of this week, “merit the notice of the Nobel Committee” when that body next meets to consider the next Nobel Peace Prize is something for others to address.
But, we are, simply, happy to have played our part.
The visits by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam attracted international attention to the deep resonance among Muslims, Christians and other religions from varied nationalities and cultural backgrounds