Conference by Isabel Capeloa Gil at the celebration of the seventh anniversary of the Declaration on Human Fraternity

On 3 February, the Subcommittee for Interreligious Dialogue of the Episcopal Commission for Mission and New Evangelisation of the Portuguese Episcopal Conference (CEP) held an afternoon of reflection in Coimbra, marking the seventh anniversary of the signing of the Declaration on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together. 

The meeting, which took place at the Convent of St. Francis, brought together several prominent voices in interreligious and cultural dialogue. Among the speakers was Isabel Capeloa Gil, President of Universidade Católica Portuguesa, who shared a presentation focused on the importance of the document and its principles for the ethical and social challenges of the present. 

In addition to the President, the programme was attended by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Adnane Mokrani, Professor of Islamic Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. The final comments on the event were made by Pedro Vaz Patto, President of the National Justice and Peace Commission. 

The Abu Dhabi Declaration, signed on 4 February 2019 by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, is a milestone in interreligious dialogue that promotes fraternity, the rejection of extremism, and peaceful coexistence between different religious traditions. 

The event reinforced the urgency of continuing to promote spaces for joint reflection between different cultures and beliefs, highlighting the role of academic institutions, such as the Universidade Católica Portuguesa, in promoting the values of fraternity, dialogue, and peace. 

Photo caption: Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmad Al-Tayyeb – Abu Dhabi, 4 February 2019