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(3 Feb 2019) Pope Francis landed on Sunday in Abu Dhabi on the first-ever papal trip to the Arabian Peninsula, where he is seeking to turn a page in Christian-Muslim relations while also ministering to a unique, thriving Catholic community.
Abu Dhabi's powerful crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, greeted the pontiff at the airport with smiles along with Cabinet ministers and an honour guard when he landed.
He was also welcomed by Grand Imam of Egypt's Al-Azhar mosque, Ahmed el-Tayeb, as well as children who handed over yellow flowers.
Francis and el-Tayeb are to address the "Human Fraternity Meeting" on Monday that has drawn not only Christian and Muslim representatives but hundreds of Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist and other Christian faith leaders.
It's all part of the Emirates' "Year of Tolerance" and its effort to show its openness to other faiths in a region otherwise known for severe restrictions on religions outside of Islam
Francis earlier on Sunday called for the urgent observation of a limited cease-fire in Yemen reached in December and for food and medicine to get to its people, who are suffering the world's worst humanitarian crisis.
He made the appeal at the Vatican before boarding the Allitalia plane to the United Arab Emirates, which has been Saudi Arabia's main ally in its war in Yemen - a way to avoid embarrassing his hosts with a public call while in the region.
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