Pope Francis's New Peace Initiative: Joint Statements with Muslim Leaders Signed in Mosques

Wojciech Kluj

doi:10.21697/fp.2025.2.2

Published: 2025-12-30

Vol. 15 No. 2 (2025)

Pope Francis's New Peace Initiative: Joint Statements with Muslim Leaders Signed in Mosques

Wojciech Kluj

Pedagogical Forum

Section: Topic

https://doi.org/10.21697/fp.2025.2.2

Abstract

What role can religious leaders play in halting war and promoting human dignity? Pope Francis' initiatives demonstrate that religious motivation can be a powerful resource for peacebuilding. A notable innovation is his signing of joint declarations with Muslim leaders inside mosques – an unprecedented act in papal diplomacy.

Two such documents have been signed: “Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together” with Grand Imam Ahmad Al-Tayyeb in Abu Dhabi (2019), and “Fostering Religious Harmony for the Sake of Humanity” with Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar in Jakarta (2024). These declarations, while different in context, are complementary and reflect the Pope’s engagement with both Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian Islam. Pope Francis frames religious anthropology – a shared vision of the human person – as a foundation for interreligious dialogue. This anthropological focus transcends doctrinal differences and emphasizes a common human calling: to peace, fraternity, and the protection of human dignity.

Keywords:

Pope Francis, peace initiatives, interreligious dialogue, Human Fraternity, Fostering Religious Harmony

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Kluj, W. (2025). Pope Francis’s New Peace Initiative: Joint Statements with Muslim Leaders Signed in Mosques. Pedagogical Forum, 15(2). https://doi.org/10.21697/fp.2025.2.2

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