Zagreb (IKA) – Today, July 13, the president of the Croatian Conference of Bishops, Archbishop Cardinal Josip Bozanić of Zagreb, visited Mufti Šefko ef. Omerbašić, president of the Islamic Community in the Republic of Croatia, at the Islamic Center in Zagreb, according to the Public Relations Office of the Archbishop of Zagreb.

Present at the meeting were associates of Mufti Omerbašić, Imam Mevludin ef. Arslani of Zagreb; the president of the Islamic Community in Zagreb, Mirsad Srebreniković; the secretary of the Zagreb Islamic Community, Ahmed Ikanović; and the head of the Zagreb Madrash (religious secondary school), Murat Hađismajlović. The cardinal was accompanied by the president of the Council of the Croatian Conference of Bishops for Ecumenicism and Dialogue, Auxiliary Bishop Vlado Košić of Zagreb, the cardinal’s secretary, Vjekoslav Meštrić, and the head of the Office of the Zagreb Archbishop for Public Relations, Zvonimir Ancić.

Mufti Omerbašić and Cardinal Bozanić expressed their satisfaction regarding the good relations between the Catholic Church and the Islamic Community in Croatia, and emphasized the importance of cooperation among religions in the moral renewal of the society at a time when many values are being neglected. They agreed that there are many common interests and areas in which the religious communities should appear together. During the conversation, the cardinal and mufti exchanged experiences on such topics as the selection of personnel, religious education and pastoral activity in certain public institutions. At the end of the meeting, Cardinal Bozanić toured the complex at the Islamic Center, particularly lingering in the prayer section and the religious secondary school.