EUROPE - A conference on Christian minorities: the first commitment of the new "Observatory on Religious Freedom"

Wednesday, 8 February 2012

Rome (Agenzia Fides) - The first public initiative of the new "Observatory on Religious Freedom" will be a conference dedicated to the status and the protection of Christian minorities in the world which has just been instituted in Rome, thanks to an agreement Protocol between the City of Rome and the Italian Foreign Ministry. This is what Francesco Maria Greco, Ambassador of Italy to the Holy See says in an interview with Fides, announcing that the conference will see eminent civil and religious people among the speakers, which will be held next month in Rome.
The Greek Ambassador, one of the promoters of the Observatory, explains to Fides genesis and purpose: "The idea came after a meeting between the Mayor of Rome, Gianni Alemanno, and Pope Benedict XVI, who had shared the desire that Rome would be a reference point for the defense of religious freedom in the world. The Mayor also involved the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to give the project an international importance. The idea took shape with the creation of a streamlined organism, non bureaucratic and without any commitment to expenditure. It will be a Committee with representatives from the Municipality of Rome and the Ministry, and a coordinator".
"The institutional purpose – the Ambassador continues - is to promote the principle of religious freedom, starting from an organization that is secular and that promotes the study, analysis and monitoring in the world. The venue will be Rome, but we will relate with international realities. The activities will consist of seminars, conferences, sessions of intercultural and interreligious dialogue".
The Greek Ambassador remarks that" the officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have for a long time, in addition to their specific mission of cultural and commercial promotion, been paying attention to religious minorities and the protection of religious freedom. The dialectic management of diversity is now part of the diplomatic work, which among other things, is a theme dear to Benedict XVI: the relationship with each other on their own"."It is possible that there will be room for collaboration with personalities of the Holy See particularly interested in this area, dealing with countries where the principle of religious freedom is not always protected", said the Greek Ambassador to Fides. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 02/08/2012)


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