Pope Francis and Grand Imam Unite Against Violence and Environmental Degradation in Indonesia

During his visit to Indonesia, Pope Francis met with Jakarta’s Grand Imam Nusaruddin Umar for an interfaith meeting aimed at combating religiously inspired violence and protecting the environment. They issued a joint call for interfaith friendship, emphasizing the importance of collaboration among different faiths to promote peace and mutual respect.

The meeting took place outside the Istiqlal Mosque, near the Tunnel of Friendship, which symbolizes Indonesia’s commitment to religious freedom despite ongoing discrimination against minorities. Pope Francis highlighted the need for all religious traditions to work together to combat fundamentalism and foster open societies. He urged Indonesians to seek God and build communities based on respect and love.

The newly launched initiative, The Istiqlal Declaration, signed by both leaders, condemns the use of religion to justify violence and calls for decisive action to address the climate crisis. The event was attended by representatives from Indonesia’s six officially recognized religions. As Pope Francis concluded his visit with a Mass expected to draw around 60,000 attendees, he prepared to continue his journey to Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Singapore, marking one of the longest trips in papal history.