A Vatican diplomatic official confirmed on Wednesday that President Donald Trump extended an invitation for Pope Leo XIV to join his newly formed “Board of Peace” initiative aimed at resolving the Israel-Gaza conflict.
The Board of Peace, which currently includes leaders from 17 nations such as Argentina, Hungary, Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, seeks to end hostilities in Gaza. According to Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s envoy for international relations, “the pope has received an invitation, and we are considering what to do.”
Parolin emphasized that while participating nations are expected to contribute financially, the Vatican itself is not eligible for such contributions. “We are not even in a position to do that,” he stated. “However, evidently we find ourselves in a different situation with respect to other countries, so it will be a different consideration, but I think the request will not be to participate financially.”
The initiative gained significant momentum on Thursday when dozens of global leaders convened at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to sign the peace charter. Trump chairs the Board of Peace, which also includes his son-in-law Jared Kushner, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
The Gaza conflict has intensified since October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants launched an attack on Israel that resulted in over 1,000 deaths and the abduction of more than 200 hostages, including Americans. In response, Israel has conducted a large-scale military campaign targeting Hamas leadership.
Pope Leo XIV, described as the first pope from America in the church’s history, has drawn both praise for his conservative stances and criticism for perceived sympathies with progressive social policies. Reuters previously reported that he rarely joins international boards.
