In first papal visit to Arabian peninsula, Francis calls for end to wars in Middle East Harriet Sherwood in Abu Dhabi Pope Francis and Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb in Abu Dhabi on Monday. Photograph: Luca Zennaro/EPA The pope and the grand imam of al-Azhar have signed a historic declaration of fraternity, calling for peace between nations, religions and races, in front of a global audience of religious leaders from Christianity, Islam, Judaism and other faiths. Pope Francis, the leader of the world’s Catholics, and Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the head of Sunni Islam’s most prestigious seat of learning, arrived at the ceremony in Abu Dhabi hand-in-hand in a symbol of interfaith brotherhood. The document pledges that al-Azhar and the Vatican will work together to fight extremism. Claiming to be in the name of “all victims of wars, persecution and injustice”, it warns against a “third world war being fought piecemeal”. It says: “We resolutely declare that religions must never incite war, hateful attitudes, hostility ...
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