April 29, 2008

WASHINGTON, DC – Joseph K. Grieboski, President of the Institute on Religion and Public Policy made his first appearance on Middle Eastern satellite television network Al Jazeera today. He discussed the impact of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United States.

Grieboski appeared on the live Arabic news program Hasad Al-Youm, which means "Today's Harvest." The daily, in-depth program usually covers three or four news topics and reaches about 50 million viewers around the world.

Hasad Al Youm's interviewer asked Grieboski who would benefit from the Pope's visit in light of upcoming presidential elections and the policy differences the Vatican has with the Bush administration.

"The people who benefit the most from the Pope's visit are the people who hear his message," Grieboski said during the interview. "The timing of the visit was fully coincidental, as the Holy Father has wanted to visit the U.S. for some time.

It is not lost on the Pope or the people around him the role the United States plays on the world stage, and they understand that his message on this trip is not only to the U.S., but to the entire world, which is obviously watching."

The interviewer also asked if the visit would be a dialogue of shared positions, or a lecture. Grieboski responded: "The Holy Father is here to give his message on the Church and its role in the world. Even though people disagree with the positions of the Catholic Church and the Pope, people around the world are looking for moral clarity and moral leadership.

"While they may disagree, they certainly respect the Pope for taking the positions he does and for standing up for issues that are not often appreciated in today's world."

About Institute on Religion and Public Policy

Nominated for the 2007 Nobel Prize in Peace, the Institute on Religion and Public Policy is an international, inter-religious non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring freedom of religion as the foundation for security, stability, and democracy.

The Institute works globally with government policymakers, religious leaders, business executives, academics, international and regional organizations, non-governmental organizations and others in order to develop, protect, and promote fundamental rights – especially the right of religious freedom – and contributes to the intellectual and moral foundation of the fundamental right of religious freedom. The Institute encourages and assists in the effective and cooperative advancement of religious freedom.

Institute on Religious and Public Policy