Pursue a real brotherhood through dialogue and mutual trust that help to overcome fears towards others, ensuring that religion has that real role as a factory of perpetual peace that is deeply inscribed in the heart of every man.
These are the themes that emerged at the end of the interreligious meeting entitled "A common path towards perpetual peace", organized in the "Millevoi" base in Shama by the Army Brigadier General Andrea Di Stasio, commander of the Italian contingent in Lebanon, currently on brigade base Sassari.
The meeting saw the representatives of the main monotheistic religions present in the south of the country gathered around a table and the extraordinary participation of the head of mission and commander of UNIFIL, Major General of the Army Stefano Del Col.
The meeting, held in compliance with the anti Covid measures and in line with the inspiring principles established on the occasion of the first interfaith forum promoted by the Italian blue helmets in 2012, was attended by the apostolic nuncio to Lebanon, Monsignor Joseph Spiteri, the Maronite archbishop of Tire, Monsignor Chucrallah-Nabil El-Hage, the Greek-Melkite archbishop of Tire, Monsignor Michel Abrass, the Greek Orthodox archbishop of Tire, Sidon and Marjayoun, Elias Kfoury, the Shiite mufti of Tire Hassan Abdullah, the Sunni mufti by Tiro Medrar Al Habbal.
The works were opened by General Di Stasio who underlined the importance of the work of the peacekeepers in the varied cultural mosaic of southern Lebanon, where different religious communities live in extraordinary harmony "thanks also to the common and strong desire for discussion and openness".
"Because in the future there will be multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious societies", Di Stasio continued, "It will be necessary to build bridges of dialogue to break down the wall of differences and recognize that diversity is not a threat, but a wealth".
Words shared by all the religious authorities, who in their interventions had words of appreciation and gratitude towards the Italian Blue Helmets, "daily witnesses of respect for a different culture and tradition", for its contribution to maintaining stability and security in southern Lebanon,"a land where coexistence is an indispensable value".
"Peace, being a very precious divine gift, we must all guard it with great care. Peace, however, is also the work of our hands and this is why we can speak of a divine and human work at the same time". This is what Cardinal Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue writes, in a surprise message sent to the participants in the interconfessional meeting. "You know the dangers that threaten peace on a global, regional level, as well as in your dear Lebanon", writes the cardinal in the message, read by the apostolic nuncio to Lebanon, Monsignor Joseph Spiteri, during the works. "To promote and safeguard peace here and throughout the world" - the message still reads - "let us commit ourselves before God and before our brothers and sisters to respect, appreciate and love each other, regardless of religious, confessional, political and party affiliation".
General Del Col closed the work. The head of mission and commander of UNIFIL, thanked the commander of the Italian contingent for the initiative, "the result of a consolidated tradition, which over the years has become a point of reference and an opportunity for deepening the new horizons of the Lebanese interreligious community, in which the 'Blue Helmets' play the conciliatory role of impartial interpreters. The recent announcement of the start of negotiations for the definition of the borders between Lebanon and Israel ", Del Col concluded, "it goes in the direction of making the area more stable in the spirit of UN Security Council Resolution 1701".
During the meeting, the religious leaders of the Christian and Islamic communities renewed their common commitment so that in this historical moment, beyond the religious belief of each one, mutual respect and fraternal friendship can be promoted, strengthening the supreme good of peace. through a fair and sincere way of life.
