President Jimmy Carter’s notes from his private meeting with Pope John Paul II, October 6, 1979, reverse

Although his notes are sketchy, they show that the discussion included particular situations in the Philippines, China, Europe, South Korea, and the Middle East. The White House issued a statement that day stating that during the meeting “the Pope and the President agreed that efforts to advance human rights constitute the compelling idea of our times.”

National Archives, Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, Atlanta, Georgia