Interfaith dialogue transforms lives in new docudrama

The Sultan and the Saint docudrama highlights the power of respectful interfaith dialogue in the pursuit of peace at its Australian premiere on the 29th July.

Around 500 people attended the premiere at Western Sydney University’s Parramatta South Campus to witness one of the lost stories from history; the meeting between St Francis of Assisi and the Sultan of Egypt, Malik Al-Kmail.

The two religious men changed history almost 800 years ago when they went beyond war and intolerance rhetoric of the Fifth Crusade to find the central message of their religions: mercy, compassion and peace. A poignant retelling, where circumstances of the meeting mirrors the division and fear perpetuated in the world today.

That show of two people who meet to listen respectfully and that responsiveness to each other’s stories particularly resonates with Franciscan friar Br Matthew Beckmann OFM.

“This is something we are very bad at doing in our modern society, we are fearful of doing it.

Read More: Interfaith dialogue transforms lives in new docudrama | Insights Magazine.