Turkey’s first lady, Emine Erdogan (@EmineErdogan), has met with Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex) in the Vatican, the country’s presidency said on July 2.

The meeting was held during Erdogan’s visit to attend the “Fraternal Economy Session on Ethical Multilateralism” programme hosted by the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.

His Holiness

“I had the honour of meeting His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, the Spiritual Leader of the Catholic World and Head of the Vatican City State,” Erdogan wrote on X.

“I express my sincere appreciation to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV for his generous hospitality and hope that the significant responsibility he has embraced will yield positive outcomes for the Catholic community and all of humanity,” she added.

Gaza discussed

During the meeting, the duo have focused on the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza, according to the first lady.

They have discussed the crucial need for the Christian community to adopt a more assertive position in order to secure a lasting ceasefire and guarantee the full provision of humanitarian aid. 

Erdogan has conveyed Turkey’s appreciation for the Vatican's endorsement of the two-state solution in Palestine.

Zero waste business

“His Holiness Pope Leo XIV and I also engaged in a conversation regarding the Zero Waste approach, which is a fundamental tenet of our global environmental movement,” Erdogan also wrote.

In September 2017, Turkey’s environment ministry and first lady launched the so-called Zero Waste project in the country.

In January 2018, China banned plastic waste imports. Other countries in East Asia, including Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, soon imposed similar restrictions.

Since 2018, Turkey has become Europe’s biggest plastic importer or, in other words, the continent’s biggest dumping ground.