VATICAN CITY, OCT. 19, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI and Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete discussed the need for peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims during the African leader's visit to the Vatican.
Kikwete and other civil leaders from Tanzania today visited the Pope, who was accompanied by his secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, and Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for relations with states.
The president is in Italy also to attend the 21st International Encounter of Peoples and Religions, organized by the Catholic lay Sant'Egidio Community and the Archdiocese of Naples. The Holy Father will inaugurate the encounter on Sunday.
The Vatican press office, reporting on the papal audience, said: "In the course of the discussions, having recalled the role that for many years Tanzania has played in the pacification of the Great Lakes region of Africa, attention turned to relations between state and Church, ever marked by mutual respect and esteem, and to the contribution Catholics make to the progress of the Tanzanian people, especially in the fields of education, healthcare and other forms of social work.
"Other areas of common interest were examined, such as the importance of peaceful coexistence and collaboration between believers of all religions, in particular between Christians and Muslims. For its part, the Holy See reiterated the commitment of the Catholic Church and her institutions to work for an integral and harmonious development of all the Tanzanian people."
Of the nearly 40 million inhabitants of Tanzania, some 35% are Muslim and 30% Christian. A large percentage of the population follows the beliefs of traditional religions.
ZE07101908 - 2007-10-19