The Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, and the Secretary for Relations with States of the Holy See, H.E. Msgr. Paul R. Gallagher, open the Conference of Italian Missionaries Worldwide at the Farnesina, entitled “The Person at the Centre”.
“The example of egalitarian partnership and solidarity embodied by the missionaries constitutes a central reference for the Italian Government’s commitment also in the relaunch of relations with Africa, at a time when it is preparing to launch the ‘Mattei Plan’”, said Tajani.
The event, moderated by Davide Dionisi, the Italian Government’s Special Envoy for the Promotion of Religious Freedom, will be divided into three thematic sessions (education and vocational training, health and childhood, and right to food) that will allow for suggestions and proposals from missionaries around the world.
In fact, the emergence of global challenges and the multiplication of contexts of crisis and instability make the complementarity between the action of Governments, International Organisations and missionary realities in areas such as humanitarian response, mediation, education, health, the fight against poverty, the emancipation of women and young people, and inter-religious dialogue increasingly evident.
The following, among others, took part in the event: Msgr. Domenico Pompili, Bishop of Verona, Msgr. Emilio Nappa, President of the Pontifical Mission Societies, Card. Giorgio Marengo, Apostolic Prefect of Ulaanbaatar, Card. Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Father Giulio Albanese, priest, journalist and Combonian missionary and Prof. Marco Impagliazzo, President of the Community of Sant’Egidio.
