The new campaign, part of the Unhate Foundation, founded by the Benetton Group, and titled “Unhate”, Benetton uses photographs of political and religious leaders locked in intimate kisses.
Merkel making out with Sarkozy (Photo: AFP)
Included in the cleverly juxtaposed images are Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu locking lips with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Other unlikely couples getting physical are US President Barack Obama and Chinese leader Hu Jintao, while German PM Angela Merkel makes out with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Pope and imam (Photo: AFP)
Not surprisingly, following a complaint from the Vatican, the ad of Pope Benedcit XVI kissing a top Egyptian imam, was abandoned quickly.
The Vatican said it would take legal action against the clothing company, calling the image 'offensive not only to the dignity of the pope and the Catholic Church, but also to the sensibilities of believers.'
A statement on the Benetton website, explains that the Unhate Foundation hopes to “become a center for research and innovation on an international level, creating specific social campaigns on the themes of tolerance, some of which will be developed in partnership with international organizations."
The Associated Press contributed to this report
Reprinted with permission from Shalom Life