UAE BARQ برق الإمارات – نبضك
In years to come, a mosque and church will stand side by side in Abu Dhabi, their cornerstones laid by Pope Francis, Head of the Catholic Church, and Dr. Ahmad el-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al Azhar Al Sharif.
“But for generations to come, people will look too at the Abu Dhabi Declaration signed by the two and note it as a turning point in laying the foundation for a new era of building peace, ending extremism and voiding the philosophy of individualism,” said Gulf News in an editorial on Wednesday.
“The charter is indeed a remarkable document, and the very fact that it was signed in Abu Dhabi during the first visit ever by a pope to the Arabian peninsula makes it all the more poignant and powerful,” added the editorial comment entitled ‘Peace, dignity and respect for all.’ The paper went on to explain, “At its heart is the unassailable truth that dialogue forms the very basis of building a future free of conflict. That dialogue, the ability and freedom to believe, forms the basis of our successful interaction at every level. There are no ties between religion and terror, no symbiotic relationship, and dialogue dissolves divisions. That is the very basis of lasting peace. How true that tenet is, and how powerful it is in confronting the very real problems that afflict so many across this Middle East. How different would this region be if those words were taken to heart, acted on in earnest by divided and embittered nations and peoples striving to achieve co-existence, tolerance, partnership and peace.”
Another editorial carried by The National under the title ‘Pope’s visit marks new chapter in interfaith relations’, said that “the crowd which gathered to greet Pope Francis mirrored the diversity of the UAE; the mass was multilingual, with readings in 10 languages, from English and Italian to Tagalog, Urdu and Arabic. People of all backgrounds attended and were addressed in their own tongue, while Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance, and Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, were among officials who heard a mass that was as inclusive as it was historic.”
As Pope Francis said in his Homily, “it is most certainly not easy for you to live far from home, missing the affection of your loved ones”. Not only is it significant that Catholics in the UAE have been visited by the highest figure in their church; it is also a reminder that this country is their home from home.
“Beyond the lives of the Catholics that flocked to the mass, this visit will have reverberations for years to come. The human fraternity document signed by Pope Francis and Grand Imam Ahmed el-Tayeb, together with the signing of foundation stones for a new church and mosque in celebration of interfaith relations, heralds a new dawn in relations between two of the world’s great faiths, which together boast 2.7 billion followers. Strengthening this bond – vital for peace across the world – is part of the visit’s tangible, lasting legacy.”
“Indeed, there is no greater symbol of interfaith harmony than the sight of Pope Francis in the UAE,” concluded the Abu Dhabi-based daily.
