The Vatican announced on Thursday, December 6, that Pope Francis would be participating in an interfaith meeting during a trip to Abu Dhabi from February 3-5.
The theme of the trip is peace, with the logo featuring a dove carrying an olive branch, suggesting Francis will be making a strong appeal for Christian-Muslim dialogue and peace in the region.
The 81-year-old Pope will make this trip just a week after returning home from Panama, where he is due to visit in January 22-27 to participate in the Catholic Church’s World Youth Day rally.
This trip to the United Arab Emirates marks yet another addition to an already busy 2019 schedule for foreign travel. In March, Pope Francis is due to travel to Morocco, while a 2019 trip to Japan is also under consideration.
