Turkish First Lady Emine Erdoğan on Wednesday met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican.
Erdoğan, who is at the Vatican to speak at the event Fraternal Economy Session on Ethical Multilateralism hosted by the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, met the pontiff at the Apostolic Palace.
According to presidential sources, the human tragedy in Gaza, efforts to combat climate change, the fight against Islamophobia and racism, and the importance of the family’s existence in society were discussed during the meeting.
Congratulating the recently elected Pope Leo XIV, Erdoğan expressed her hope that this would be a blessing for the Christian world.
GAZA ISSUE
During the meeting, Erdoğan called on the pope for a “louder support for Gaza from the Christian world” for a permanent ceasefire and the delivery of humanitarian aid.
The Turkish First Lady conveyed the importance of implementing the two-state solution as soon as possible and increasing the number of countries that officially recognize the State of Palestine for a permanent and sustainable peace in Palestine.
Erdoğan also said that Christians living in the region, whose churches and communities are under constant threat, should finally find peace.
The pontiff also told Erdoğan that the Vatican has been acting according to the principle of being a part of the solution in the Middle East for many years and that the Vatican also supports the two-state solution and peace in Palestine, according to the sources.
ZERO WASTE
During the meeting, Erdoğan said the international community is facing many vital challenges today, and one of these is the fight against climate change.
She told the pope about the “Zero Waste” movement launched in Türkiye regarding climate change, which she personally prioritizes.
Expressing her belief that the issue of combating climate change carries strong cooperation potential between the Vatican and Türkiye, Erdoğan said it is important for Pope Leo to support the “Zero Waste” movement, which is now institutionalized within the UN.
The pope, for his part, said: “We must absolutely find ways to work together,” said the sources.
ISLAMOPHOBIA, RACISM, AND INTOLERANCE
During the meeting, Erdoğan also drew attention to the alarming increase in Islamophobia, racism, and intolerance, and emphasized that these tendencies pose a danger not only to the group they target but to all segments of society.
Noting that Türkiye is a region where different beliefs and cultures have lived together in peace for centuries, Erdoğan said Christian communities are an inseparable part of Türkiye’s rich mosaic.
She said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan approaches the problems of religious minority groups with special care and that the problems regarding the real estate properties of minority foundations have been resolved in favor of the minorities via changes in legislation.
‘TÜRKİYE IS AN IMPORTANT VOICE FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST,’ SAYS POPE
According to the sources, Pope Leo told the Turkish First Lady that many groups in the Middle East do not respect the rights of Christians and that the protection of the rights of Christians and other minorities in Türkiye constitutes a model.
“Türkiye is an important voice for peace in the Middle East in this respect,” said the pope.
The pontiff told Erdoğan that he wanted to make one of his first overseas visits as pope to Türkiye, and plans are underway for the end of November.
Reminding that this year marks the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, the pope said: “Turkey is an important country for Christians, but it also acts as an important, unique bridge in terms of building peace and plays an important role,” added sources.
IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY
During the meeting, Erdoğan and the Pope also discussed the importance of family.
It was emphasized that the family is the key to social peace and can actually be a solution to many problems, such as individualism and loneliness, that are prominent today.
The meeting also emphasized the importance of family values in both Islam and Christianity and that all Abrahamic religions should take a common stance against global threats that seek to corrupt family values.
VATICAN’S ENDORSEMENT OF 2-STATE SOLUTION
Erdoğan also shared her visit to the Vatican and meeting with Pope Leo on the social media platform X.
“During our meeting, we focused on the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza,” she said, adding: “We discussed the crucial need for the Christian community to adopt a more assertive position in order to secure a lasting ceasefire and guarantee the full provision of humanitarian aid.”
Erdoğan said that she conveyed appreciation “for the Vatican’s endorsement of the two-state solution, which serves as the basis for a fair and lasting peace in Palestine.”
She said the two also discussed the Zero Waste movement and the climate crisis.
“We are in agreement that the climate crisis is a shared concern for all of humanity, irrespective of their faith or region,” she said.
“In this context, I have observed that there is significant potential for collaboration between Türkiye and the Vatican in addressing climate change. We assessed our shared areas of collaboration,” she added.
She also thanked the pontiff for his hospitality and said that she hopes “that the significant responsibility he has embraced will yield positive outcomes for the Catholic community and all of humanity.”
