On 18 February 2026, TYT Ambassador Hendy Assan met with Professor Alfredo Luciani, President of Carita Politica, for a constructive discussion on strengthening collaboration in interreligious dialogue. Professor Luciani reflected on the 2025 initiative “Il farsi prossimo nella speranza” (“Becoming a Neighbour in Hope”), held with the encouragement of institutions in Vatican City, which convened religious leaders, diplomats, academics, and civil society representatives to promote a culture of encounter and responsibility amid growing global polarisation.
A key highlight was the presentation of the newly published compilation volume of the 2025 series, intended as a reference for policymakers, scholars, and faith leaders on the constructive role of religion in public life. TYT Ambassador Hendy congratulated Professor Luciani on the publication and emphasised the importance of ensuring that interreligious dialogue informs policy thinking and diplomatic practice. Professor Luciani also acknowledged the Ambassador’s earlier contribution, where Malaysia’s experience in managing religious diversity through mutual respect, constitutional safeguards, and continuous engagement was shared.
Both sides explored prospects for deeper cooperation in 2026, including the possibility of co-organising an interreligious seminar on dialogue as preventive diplomacy and convening a roundtable drawing lessons from Malaysia’s model of fostering harmony in diversity. The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to advancing dialogue, mutual understanding, and ethical leadership, with follow-up discussions to be undertaken at the working level.
