AKIPRESS.COM - Pope Francis presented President Sadyr Japarov with a terracotta sculpture "Love and Tenderness," a photo book about the Apostolic Palace, and a copy of this year’s Message of Peace during the audience.

The description of the sculpture explains that on one side it depicts "the figure of St. Francis of Assisi, a symbol of peace and respect for humanity and nature; and on the other, an image of the world threatened by pollution."

Sadyr Japarov presented Pope Francis with decorated barrels of organic honey produced in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan, an image of St. Peter’s Cathedral made of multi-colored wool, and a handmade tea set made from silver mined in the Kyrgyz Republic.