Vatican City, May 28, 2016 / 05:58 am
On Saturday, Pope Francis met with the president of the Republic of Singapore, marking 35 years of diplomatic relations between the Southeast Asian country and the Holy See, and the first ever state visit by a Singaporean president to a Pope.
During the visit, President Tony Tan Keng Yam and the pontiff addressed topics relating to "the importance of interreligious and intercultural dialogue for the promotion of human rights, stability, justice and peace in south-east Asia," according to a statement by the Holy See press office.
The "cordial discussion" also addressed the "good relations between the Holy See and Singapore," and the "collaboration between the Church and the State, especially in the educational and social fields," the statement continues.
After the meeting, Pope Francis gave President Tan a medal of peace, explaining how government is about bringing people together.