Bishop Ayuso: ‘Abu Dhabi Document roadmap for interreligious dialogue’

Pope Francis’ historic visit to the United Arab Emirates is being widely seen as a milestone in interreligious dialogue.

Vatican – Bishop Miguel Ángel Ayuso, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, told Vatican News that the Abu Dhabi document signed by the Pope and the Grand Imam of Al-Ahzar, is a precious roadmap for peace, and contains indications that must be spread throughout the world.

Bishop Ayuso describes the Pope’s journey to the Gulf Region as historical.

He says Pope Francis was a true “peacemaker” in this journey to the Arab Emirates, and that the signing of the “Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together” Document, together with the Great Imam of Al-Azhar, calls on each of us to become instruments of much needed inter-religious dialogue and peace. 

This document, he says, has its roots in the necessity to safeguard the future of mankind and of the world and is particularly poignant in the face of “a wounded humanity”.

As Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Bishop Ayuso issues an appeal to make the text of the Declaration known, through the will of Pope Francis, to all men and women of good will also through social media, describing it as “road map of interreligious dialogue for the future”.

“Because universal fraternity is key” he says “so that through a culture of dialogue, joint collaboration and mutual knowledge may be the pillars for building a better world”. – Linda Bordoni,07Feb2019