EDITORIAL

"Let's Shake Our Hands, Not our Fingerprints" is the title of the demonstration organised last week by the Community of Sant'Egidio, together with numerous religious congregations and other groups, with the participation of the Union of the Italian Jewish Communities. A proposal to challenge with a serene attitude the issue of immigration that stirs the consciences and divides the western countries. In Italy, in fact, a proposal was made to take fingerprints to all the non European foreigners who are staying in the country longer than one week.
The question is: which one, solidarity or suspicion, can make the world safer?

Sant�Egidio responded to this issue by the school dedicated to L. Massignon - the scholar in oriental studies who dedicated his whole life to promote brotherhood among the children of Abraham. At the school we have been teaching for twenty years languages � Italian in Italy, German in Germany � to promote the immigrants� integration. And last week diplomas of language and intercultural mediation were conferred (more than 1.600 just in Italy).

Sant�Egidio responded also by fostering the movement The Peace People who say, in their charter: �We are men and women from every corner of the world: from different nations, races, cultures and religious beliefs� With this love for peace, we recognize all as our brothers and sisters, without exception, as children of the one God, even though we differ in language, culture and religion�.

Sant�Egidio responds in the only way we think possible: by promoting a culture of mutual understanding, of encounter and dialogue. Fear, in fact, is often the result of a lack of communication and knowledge.

Is it too simple? Yet it could be a very good starting point to act upon the call of one of the slogans in the demonstration: talk to us, don�t be afraid, you will touch the fingerprint�of culture.

07/02/02 - Rome - Conferral of diplomas at the L. Massignon Language School for the immigrants

06/27/02 - Rome - Demonstration: "Let's Shake Our Hands, Not Our Fingerprints"

06/25/02 - Rome - Andrea Riccardi Speaks at the Congress of the Union of the Italian Jewish Communities

06/25/02 - Rome - Friendship Beyond the Walls: a Party in Rebibbia Women's Prison

06/24/02 - Padova (Italy) - Miriam, the Guinea Child Operated in Italy, Goes Back Home

06/24/02 - News on the Site

06/24/02 - From Pisa to Mozambique to Stop AIDS

06/23/02 - Rome - The Wife of Hungary's President Visits the Community

 NO TO THE DEATH PENALTY - NEWS 

july 7, Sunday: Liturgy of the Sunday
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Memory of Isaiah, Prophet. Memory of Athenagoras, (1886-1972), patriarch of Constantinople, father of ecumenical dialogue.

july 8, Monday: Memory of the Poor

july 9, Tuesday: Memory of the Mother of the Lord

july 10, Wednesday: Memory of the Saints and the Prophets

july 11, Thursday: Memory of the Church
Memory of Saint Benedict (+547), the father of the monks of the West, and their guide through the rule that bears his name.

july 12, Friday: Memory of Jesus crucified

july 13, Saturday: Sunday Vigil

july 14, Sunday: Liturgy of the Sunday
15th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

july 15, Monday: Memory of the Poor

july 16, Tuesday: Memory of the Mother of the Lord
Feast of Mary of Mount Carmel

july 17, Wednesday: Memory of the Saints and the Prophets

july 18, Thursday: Memory of the Church
Memory of St. Sergey of Radonez�, of the Russian Church; he was the founder of the Laura of the Most Holy Trinity nearby Moscow.

july 19, Friday: Memory of Jesus crucified

july 20, Saturday: Sunday Vigil
Memory of prophet Elijah who was taken in to heaven and left his cloak to Elisha

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