Erdoğan's Vatican visit promises hope for global peace

President Erdoğan's meeting with Pope Francis should be welcomed as an important opportunity to work for a common agenda of peace, security and friendship in a world of growing racism, intolerance, ignorance and violence

The two leaders discussed a number of issues including Jerusalem, Muslim-Catholic relations, the Syrian war, the refugee crisis, terrorism, xenophobia and Islamophobia. Turkey has been a leading voice on both the Syria crisis and the rising tide of racism and xenophobia.

...While dealing with the internal issues of the Catholic Church, he has also embraced a global agenda of spirituality with firmness on issues of social justice. 

...The Vatican's clear and firm stance on Jerusalem was welcomed across the Muslim world and brought Muslims and Catholics closer. This is not surprising because Jerusalem is also a holy site for Christians and they cannot accept a unilateral decision by the United States and Israel to change its historic, religious and diplomatic status.

...Muslims and many Christians, especially those living in Arab and Muslim countries, see the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands as the root cause of the problem in the Holy Land. The misguided Jerusalem decision by the U.S. administration is just one part of the problem. 

Revelation 13:11-12 English Standard Version (ESV)

The Second Beast

11 Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence,[a] and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed.

The Pope has shown that he has a moral and political responsibility to reject new forms of racism and Islamophobia. This should be welcome by all Muslims. Likewise, Muslim political and religious leaders have a responsibility to protect Christian communities living in Muslim countries against any attacks and provide them with a sense of belonging and friendship

...President Erdoğan's meeting with Pope Francis should be welcomed as an important opportunity to work for a common agenda of peace, security and friendship in a world of growing racism, intolerance, ignorance and violence.