On one special day, the bees of the Santa Chiara apiary at the small cloistered monastery of Attimis, nestled in the hills of Friuli, became exactly that: their honey brought together two worlds that, though seemingly distant, share an undeniable closeness. In this special place, where about thirty nuns embrace the world with prayer and intercession, they hosted Al-Issa, leader of moderate Islam. He came from Makkah to meet them but also the bees that brought them together thanks to the honey received as a gift from a mutual friend, the Lebanese priest Adel Nasr, who founded the monastery with his mother superior Anna Chiara. After the end of the private and exclusive meeting, Al-Issa says it was unforgettable, about which, he promises to speak to the Pope, whom he is expected to see in the next few days in Rome, in the wake of the commitment to dialogue and peace that he tirelessly carries forward with his non-governmental organization that represents Muslims in the world.

His notable efforts include visiting Auschwitz in 2020, meeting Pope Francis to forge a historic agreement in 2017 and leading peace initiatives with representatives of the Abrahamic religions. Dr. Al-Issa’s leadership has earned praise for advancing moderate Islam, countering extremism and promoting coexistence. He has also spearheaded agreements with major Jewish and Christian institutions and continues to advocate for dialogue and education to combat hate and extremism. Over the last three years, Dr. Al-Issa has traveled extensively throughout the United States, Europe, Africa and Asia, meeting with dignitaries and parliamentarians from the fields of justice, law and human rights and major faith-based and community leaders. Source: TGR News (Italian national TV service)