06/01/2008

The challenge of living together � a Christian perspective

Some weeks ago, Professor Andrea Riccardi, founder of the Communita di Sant�Egidio delivered a talk at MCC Professor Riccardi started his lecture by speaking about the particular reality of the Mediterranean Sea; a melting pot of exchange, of encounters as well as of confrontation. Malta, with its profound Christian identity, which has permeated in the life and culture of its people, is right in the middle of this region and its reality is in many ways closely linked to the Arab world. In our globalised world, Prof. Riccardi said, what is distant seems much closer; it knocks on our doors. Immigration is part of this phenomenon. He reminded those present that although the globalised world is one in which people are mixing, all countries and cultures seem to be rediscovering the value of their own identity. Unlike what many seem to think, globalisation has not led to a generalised cosmopolitanism in which everything fuses into one, but rather to a rediscovery of particular identities. It often happens, however, that when different identities stand in contrast with others, old stereotypes, fears and distrust re-emerge. This gives rise to the risk of turning into conflict. The great question is: how can we live together when there are so many different identities? The politics of an encounter with �the other� and the politics of dialogue are necessary in local communities as well as in the international community. It is politics � in its widest sense � that enables people to live together. �Living together� is at the root of many ethnic and religious problems in a multiracial and pluri-religious world. The big question of immigration can be seen in this light � together with many other issues which so many countries in the world share. Prof. Riccardi recalled how the Catholic Church, since Vatican Council II, proposed dialogue with other religious realities. Dialogue is seen as one of the ways of being a Christian in the world. Dialogue, Prof. Riccardi said, does not mean renouncing one�s own identity. It is quite the opposite, since one cannot dialogue unless he knows who he is. There cannot be real dialogue without a profound understanding of oneself. He said that this is a good time to be Christians in a globalised world, a world with many fears. �Fear advises us to defend our identity from any form of contamination: We need to build walls!� Prof. Riccardi said. �But fear is a bad adviser, which exposes a weakness that lies very deep within,� he added. Returning to the Mediterranean theme, Prof. Riccardi explained that even though the Arab and Islamic worlds are on Europe�s immediate borders, behind them lies the vast territory of sub-Saharan Africa; the poorest of all continents, torn apart by wars and AIDS. The Mediterranean frontier does not only look towards the Arabic world but also towards Africa beyond it. Being Mediterranean Europeans is indeed a very particular reality. The people of southern Europe �feel� the reality of the great South with the immediacy that often seems to escape the bureaucracy in Brussels. They encounter the problems and the people from the South. Often throughout his lecture, Prof. Riccardi referred to Europe�s responsibility to develop a policy on refugees and immigration that is not simplistically defensive. �A policy on borders will not block this phenomenon; what is needed is a complex policy of many States working together on many different levels,� he said. A lot of work has to be done at European Union level so that the issue of immigrants coming from the south is not considered only as a problem of individual countries, but really becomes a European issue. Prof. Riccardi said that immigration is �a big international issue of the Mediterranean�, clearly stating that Malta should receive Europe�s help to address the growing presence of immigrants. As it seems to be living the great contradiction of the need of workers while rejecting those potential workers coming from the south, Europe needs to see the opportunities immigration brings about, not just its potential threats. Immigrants from the south leave their countries because of a wide variety of political, economic and environmental problems in sub-Sahara Africa. They are vulnerable and disadvantaged men, women and children. This raises the question of how they should be received when they reach Europe. Turning to the Maltese situation, Prof. Riccardi acknowledged the pressures faced by Malta due to the relatively large numbers of immigrants reaching the shores of a small island-state with limited resources. This can lead many people to worry about maintaining their historical identity. Malta has a clear responsibility of offering humane treatment to those requesting asylum or refuge, many of whom come from heartbreaking situations. Their stay in Malta, he said, should not be a waste of time that only serves to add to their frustration. Helped by Europe, Malta could offer the possibility to many refugees to acquire an understanding of European culture and languages. Prof. Riccardi reminded the Maltese of the context of their first appearance in Christian history as a welcoming people. This is a defining part of Maltese identity, and in rediscovering their identity the Maltese should ask themselves whether they are truly living according to these characteristics. He added that the issue surrounding the welcoming of immigrants on our shores is in no way an easy one; it requires an intelligent, generous and creative Christian approach that avoids simplifications. Drawing upon the experience of the Community of Sant�Egidio, he explained how important it is for a person to be able to live well in a country which is not his own and to be accompanied in friendship during the first years. If left alone and isolated, a person in such a situation faces a greater risk of slipping into bad habits, from which it would then be hard to escape. The response to this pressing situation cannot be based on fear, because fear tends to lead to closure and cruelty, such as the suggestion of letting people drown in the sea or sending them back to a sure death. The Christian faith, Prof. Riccardi said, �rebels� against this approach. New solutions need to be explored � ones that are not based on fear.The situation also presents a challenge to the Christian. The same fear of the apparent paradox of risking the loss of one�s religion for the sake of living according to the Gospel is felt by many Christians. Prof. Riccardi said there are no simple answers to complex questions. However, it should be extremely clear that inhumanity, humiliating treatment and hate towards foreigners are never Christian options. A Christian response, he reiterated, should never be based on fear. A Christian conscience can inspire concrete political choices relating to the treatment offered to immigrants and to a stronger commitment in places of suffering from where so many refugees and migrants originate. Individual initiatives are not enough. What is required is a strong sense of cooperation among States. As a place of dialogue and encounter, Malta can give an important contribution to peace in a world where these problems are becoming always more difficult to deal with. The Christian faith, Prof. Riccardi said, �frees our hearts from the prison of fear which leads us to be aggressive or passive.� We seem to be living in a world heading towards a clash of civilisations. But this clash is not inevitable. �We can build a civilisation of peace: a civilisation in which we can live together,� Prof. Riccardi concluded. Andrea Riccardi is the founder of the Roman Catholic lay community of Sant�Egidio. Based in Rome, the community of Sant�Egidio has become a worldwide movement with some 50,000 members and is well known for its work for peace and social justice. Notably, it played a crucial role in the peace process in Mozambique. Riccardi is author of several books including Convivere, which explores ways in which people of different cultures and religions can live together in peace and harmony without losing their identity. Riccardi is a professor of Contemporary History at the Universit� degli Studi di Roma Tre.