Dhaka, Bangladesh - In 1986 Dr. Kazi Nurul Islam, professor of philosophy at Dhaka University, was invited by the Vatican to attend a "Colloquium on the Holiness of Christianity and Islam." He met Pope John Paul II at his Summer Palace.
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In 1994 Dr. Islam, along with his wife Dr. Azizun Nahar Islam, a professor of philosophy at Dhaka University, were invited by the same organization of the Vatican to attend a workshop on "Family Values in Today's World." Both of them met Pope John Paul II at his Summer Palace.
In March 2014 Dr. Islam (now a professor of world religions and culture and director of the Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue of Dhaka University) was invited by the Centre for Interreligious Dialogue of Focolare Movement, Italy to attend an International Programme on the Contribution of Chiara Lubich in Promoting Interreligious Harmony. Again, Dr. Islam got a rare opportunity to meet Pope Francis at his office.
This time Dr. Islam told the Pope: "Your Holiness, it was impossible for me to meet Saint Francis. But God has given me this opportunity to meet Pope Francis." The Pope smiled and thanked Dr. Islam.