Pope meets Peres and Hassan

The Pope has encouraged Holy Land leaders to continue working for peace.

He participated in a charity-sponsored event in which he interacted, via technology, with children from five continents.

See video clip here

Pope Francis received Israel’s former President Shimon Peres at the Vatican. "Peace and the role of religions were the central theme" of the meeting, according to a Vatican statement. Peres presented a plan to create a sort of "United Nations for religions." The idea is based on the assumption that while in the past the majority of wars were motivated by the idea of nationhood, in the current world the trigger for conflicts is "primarily the excuse of religion."

"The Holy Father listened attentively and with interest to the Israeli ex-president's proposal, and the discussion took place in a very cordial atmosphere," the Vatican said.

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Peace and religion were also "key points" in the Holy Father's meeting with Prince Hassan Bin Talal. The prince, founder of the “Royal Institute for Interfaith Studies”, presented the centre's activity to the Pope, emphasizing the common ground shared by religions and the possibilities of collaboration in activities of solidarity with the least fortunate in a globalised world.

See video clip here