Catholic and Muslim clergy are hoping to achieve reconciliation between the two religions through a meeting in the spring between representatives of the two groups. The meeting was planned in the wake of protests throughout the Muslim world in response to comments Pope Benedict XVI made in 2006 regarding Muhammed's "evil and inhuman" teachings on holy war. The Pope subsequently apologized, saying the remarks he made did not reflect his own opinions.
The conference will address issues such as human dignity, inter-religious dialogue, and promoting tolerance among youth.
The pope later said he was "deeply sorry" over the reactions to his remarks and that they did not reflect his own opinions. The Vatican has been working ever since to improve relations with moderate Islam.
According to a recent note written by 138 Muslim clergy to the Vatican, Christianity and Islam have attracted the membership of 55 percent of the world's population. The letter encouraged the Vatican to join up with Islam in joint worship of a single god.