Abu Dhabi: Vatican opens embassy in UAE

Venezuelan Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, substitute of the Secretariat of State at the Vatican, inaugurated the new Apostolic Nunciature in Abu Dhabi on Friday.

Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, UAE’s minister of culture and youth, attended the inauguration ceremony.

The new Apostolic Nunciature comes 15 years after the two countries established diplomatic relations.

Archbishop Parra said the inauguration of the Vatican Embassy in Abu Dhabi coincides with the third anniversary of the signing of the Human Fraternity Document by Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church, and Grand Imam of Al Azhar, Dr Ahmed el-Tayeb.

A high-level delegation representing the Vatican were present at the embassy opening. It included Bishop Paul Hinder, Apostolic Vicar for Southern Arabia and Monsignor Kryspin Dubiel, Chargé d’Affaires of the Apostolic Nunciature.

Inaugurating the opening of the Embassy of the Holy See to the UAE in Abu Dhabi alongside Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra @TerzaLoggia a historic milestone, carrying a message of tolerance and harmony among all. pic.twitter.com/r3y2jyGvv6

— نورة بنت محمد الكعبي (@NouraAlKaabi) February 4, 2022

Meanwhile, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, received Archbishop Parra the following day at the Expo 2020 Dubai. Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, and director general Expo 2020 Dubai, also attended the meeting. The two sides discussed bilateral relations and joint cooperation between the two countries and ways to promote the values of tolerance and coexistence and to spread the principles of the Human Fraternity Document, according to news agency WAM.

At the Holy See Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, precious manuscripts more than 1,000 years old from the Vatican’s archives are on display.

In a landmark visit, Pope Francis visited the UAE in 2019. As part of the ongoing diplomatic engagements between the two countries, last year, the UAE’s Ministry of Education signed an MoU with the Congregation for Catholic Education at the Holy See, Vatican, to strengthen their cooperation in education. It reportedly aims to ensure the protection of human rights, enhance solidarity and respect for other cultures, as well as promote the planning of student exchange programmes between educational institutions.