Ref: AF/PR/2023/020 Date: December 11, 2023
The Africa Federation Chairman, Alhaj Amine Nassor with a delegation paid a courtesy visit to His Holiness Pope Francis at the Vatican in Rome on 9th November 2023. He was accompanied by the AFED First Lady Nazia bai Amine Nassor, Alhaj Sheikh Haniphe Akbaraly, Chairman of FCRA in Madagascar and former Chairman of Conseil Regional of Madagascar (CROI; now AKSIAM), Alhaj Feride Ismael, Chairman of Association Khoja Shia Ithna Asheri de Madagascar (AKSIAM), Sheikh Abdoul Hadi, President of Association of Malagasy Muslims (Fikambanan’ny Silamo Malagasy) and Sheikh Mortada Mohamed Ali from Paris, France.
Pope Francis is the head of the Catholic Church, the Bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State. He was born in 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he is the first Pope to be a member of the Society of Jesus, the first from the Americas, the first from the Southern Hemisphere, and the first born or raised outside Europe since the 8th century papacy of the Syrian Pope Gregory III.
The visit of the delegation was facilitated by Sheikh Haniphe Akbaraly through Mgr. Tomasz Gryzsa, the apostolic nuncio to Madagascar. The prelate’s endorsement of such endeavours highlights the importance of the initiatives that encourage collaboration between different religious groups and faiths. This further emphasizes the significance of unity in addressing societal challenges that we face globally.
The AFED Chairman during the meeting with His Holiness, Pope Francis mentioned about his visit to Najaf in March 2021, to this, the Pope with utmost humility and respect said that it was a privilege for him to have met the Grand Ayatullah al Uzma al Sayyid Ali Hussaini al Sistani, whom he referred to as a very knowledgeable personality.
The delegation explained the efforts made by the Muslim community to promote tranquillity, unity and interfaith dialogues as it contributes to fostering peace and understanding in the society. Also, they emphasized on the importance of building bridges and good understanding among diverse groups to make this world a better place for all people.
The delegation presented briefly on the Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri community’s humanitarian support through various projects, shedding light on their ardent efforts supporting the underprivileged. These initiatives underscore their dedication to tackling tangible issues through collaborative endeavours, aimed at addressing shared challenges like poverty and the lack of access to fundamental necessities, like clean drinking water, education, health etc. these services illustrate a comprehensive approach to enhancing community’s well-being.
These perspectives resonate with the conviction that collective action, transcending religious distinctions, plays a pivotal role in addressing and alleviating broader social issues.
Alhaj Amine bhai Nassor presented Pope Francis with an appreciation plaque from AFED expressing gratitude for giving the delegation an audience underscoring mutual respect and goodwill. Additionally, Sheikh Haniphe Akbaraly, along with Alhaj Feride Ismael, jointly presented a symbolic token of appreciation to the Pope.
Below are some pictures of the meeting:
The Africa Federation Secretariat is grateful to all those who made this important visit and meeting with His Holiness Pope Francis possible, this visit is reflective of the Vision and Mission of Africa Federation to enhance interfaith relationships with all religions and faiths, we hope and pray that the seed that has been sowed from this visit bears the rewarding fruits of building good relationships with our Christian brethren and other denominations to make this world a safe and tranquil place for all to live alongside each other, Aameen.
Secretariat