KUWAIT: His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah presents a memento to Pope Tawadros II. — KUNA photos

KUWAIT: His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah held a luncheon in honor of Pope Tawadros II, the visiting Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St Mark at Shwaikh Palace yesterday. His Highness Sheikh Nasser welcomed the Coptic Pope as a dear guest of the State of Kuwait and its people.

He said this celebration was a sign of warm welcome accorded to the holder of the spiritual authority, which takes care of millions of Copts in Egypt, Sudan, Libya and Abyssinia. "This welcome is a right that is compelled by Arab bonds which we (Kuwait) share with Egypt," he said.

However, His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad emphasized that it is necessary for clergymen to play a role in restoring balance to this world where wars and violence are wreaking havoc on societies. He expressed belief that imbalances in modern life are mainly due to poverty, selfishness, greediness and lack of conscience. Therefore, groundwork of cooperation should be built on the basis of mutual confidence and respect, denunciation of social differences and safeguarding of human dignity and rights, he urged.

In this context, His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad thanked Pope Tawadros II for his continuing efforts to establish such noble values not only in Egypt but in Arab and world arenas as well. He finally offered heartfelt condolences to the guest over the victims of recent attacks on Coptic churches in Egypt. - KUNA