UAE set new paradigm for peace with Pope Francis
22 Apr 2025 00:27
ALLAN JACOB (ABU DHABI)Like the UAE, the Vatican under the late Pope Francis was keen to build bridges to people and communities while uniting civilisations.The UAE has thrived as a country that welcomes all people — 200 nationalities dwell here — much like how the late Pope Francis, who was often called the People's Pope, shed the trappings of power and rituals to forge a personal rapport with ordinary women, men, and children regardless of their origin, colour, creed, or country. Pope Francis, leader of the Catholic Church, was inspired by the UAE and made it his mission to visit the country back in 2019 to sign the Document of Human Fraternity that would pave the way for two religions — Islam and Christianity — and their followers to find common cause in a world roiled by religious and sectarian strife. The head of the Catholic Church believed that the UAE model would transform governance at the human level while elevating millions of lives.Indeed, the Pope was an ardent backer of the human potential and the many possibilities for peace when people of different faiths live together in harmony. More importantly, his was a call for action — and what better country than the UAE, which put peaceful coexistence and tolerance at the centre of governance and was reaping the dividends.The UAE and its wise leadership impressed Pope Francis; he knew that he had found a reliable partner and friend in the common pursuit that put people over power. The UAE had established its credentials in tolerance, and he sought the virtues of this country that reaches out to the world in its efforts for prosperity and progress.In this context, the Document of Human Fraternity that the Catholic leader signed with His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, under the auspices of the UAE, is a landmark, far-sighted agreement that would reshape the way countries and people engage with each other. While being ambitious in scope, it remains, at its core, deeply spiritual. This is made clear at the start of the document: 'In the name of God who has created all human beings equal in rights, duties and dignity, and who has called them to live together as brothers and sisters, to fill the earth and make known the values of goodness, love and peace.'During his historic visit in 2019, the first by the Catholic Pontiff to the Arabian Peninsula, the late Pope was given a rousing reception by the people of the UAE and the warmth of its wise leadership made him feel at home. The UAE made clear that it was taking the lead to unite civilisations while moving past the civilisational angst and suspicions that have stoked wars and put our common future at stake. 'Al-Azhar al-Sharif and the Muslims of the East and West, together with the Catholic Church and the Catholics of the East and West, declare the adoption of a culture of dialogue as the path; mutual cooperation as the code of conduct; reciprocal understanding as the method and standard,' read the declaration signed on the occasion.
The UAE was signalling rapprochement and reconciliation as conflict raged across the world. Here was a country of calm amidst the encircling gloom, and the Pope and His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb believed that now was the time for a fresh start for the people of the warring world to set aside their differences. Credit goes to the enlightened leadership of the UAE for breaking barriers and building bridges with the West through the late Pope Francis, whose legacy has been embellished by his outreach to the Arab world for a new paradigm for peace.
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