Cairo (Fides Service) - "Inter-cultural initiatives have been a priority for the Dominicans, who have a long history of presence in Muslim countries. This new building of the library, which I have visited, will give a greater number of students and professors access to the Institute's wealth of inter-cultural material, Christian and Muslim." Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald said this to Fides Service with regard to the recent inauguration of a new inter-cultural library at the Dominican Institute for Oriental Studies in Cairo. British born Archbishop Fitzgerald, a Missionary of Africa, until now secretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and recently promoted President by Pope John Paul II, continued: "The Dominicans are present in many Muslim countries, including Iraq and Iran. These cultural centres can play a major role in promoting dialogue between Christians and Muslims to build peace and harmony." The Dominican's new library in Cairo of Christian and Muslim literature is one of the largest in the world with its 90,000 volumes in both Arabic and Western languages, major texts of classical Arab literature and about 1,600 new titles every year. The Dominican Institute for Oriental Studies, opened in 1953, has its own publication Melange, circulated in some 40 countries, including Iraq, Iran, Sweden, USA and Benin. For more information see www.ideo-cairo.org PS (Fides Service 29/10/2002)