Rome, 3 Nov. (AKI) - Muslim scholars due to meet Pope Benedict XVI and Vatican officials in Rome on Tuesday hope the landmark talks will help defuse continuing tensions between Islam and Christianity. Milanese imam Yahya Pallavicini is part of the delegation of Muslim scholars taking part in the first round of interfaith talks with the Vatican.
"In the Islamic world, there are high hopes that the talks will present a great opportunity for dialogue," Pallavicini, vice-president of the Islamic Religious Community in Italy , told Adnkronos International (AKI).
Closed-door talks are taking place on Tuesday on 'Love of God and Love of One's Neighbour' and on 'Human Dignity and Mutual Respect' on Wednesday.
Twenty-four Muslim scholars led by the Grand Mufti of Bosnia, Mustafa Ceric, will attend the talks. They are representing the Common World Group, a broad coalition of Muslim leaders and scholars who are pursuing dialogue between the world's two largest religions.
A total 275 prominent Muslims have now signed The Common World Manifesto, a document urging Christian churches to reach mutual understanding to safeguard global security, based on shared principles of love of God and neighbour.
"Our delegation intends to take forward and promote dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church that respects the identity of both faiths, but which can promote brotherhood under a single God and uphold human dignity worldwide," said Pallavicini.
"For us, it is important that we can have a genuine exchange of ideas with the Pope, which there will be. Benedict XVI has agreed to receive all participants at the talks and to engage with them," Pallavicini told AKI.
"In the Islamic world, there are high hopes that the talks will present a great opportunity for dialogue," Pallavicini, vice-president of the Islamic Religious Community in Italy , told Adnkronos International (AKI).
Closed-door talks are taking place on Tuesday on 'Love of God and Love of One's Neighbour' and on 'Human Dignity and Mutual Respect' on Wednesday.
Twenty-four Muslim scholars led by the Grand Mufti of Bosnia, Mustafa Ceric, will attend the talks. They are representing the Common World Group, a broad coalition of Muslim leaders and scholars who are pursuing dialogue between the world's two largest religions.
A total 275 prominent Muslims have now signed The Common World Manifesto, a document urging Christian churches to reach mutual understanding to safeguard global security, based on shared principles of love of God and neighbour.
"Our delegation intends to take forward and promote dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church that respects the identity of both faiths, but which can promote brotherhood under a single God and uphold human dignity worldwide," said Pallavicini.
"For us, it is important that we can have a genuine exchange of ideas with the Pope, which there will be. Benedict XVI has agreed to receive all participants at the talks and to engage with them," Pallavicini told AKI.
