In this new century, which has just started under the sign of hope and sorrow, Muslim and Christian believers have gathered in Rome to invoke God�s great gift of peace and to search together for the ways of dialogue.

The world needs peace and, following this desire for peace, the depths of our religious traditions have been explored seeking will and words so that the whole world may be freed from the fear of war and so that the thirst for righteousness of many people may be satisfied in generosity and mercifulness.

Peace is God�s name and indeed this name must be worshipped beyond any incomprehension and difficulty. May no one say again that his religion encourages him to war and that it shows him violence as the way to solve conflicts. May no one use God�s name to kill innocent and defenceless victims. Those who use God�s name to hate and who choose ways of violence abandon the pure religion.

We address ourselves to those who kill, who spread fear, terror and hatred, who make war in God�s name. The many names of God never mean war, but they all write the word peace. To speak of a war between religions is absurd. Do not build walls that divide, insulate and make the life of those who are waiting for justice unbearable.

The Community of Sant�Egidio addresses to those who have responsibilities in the great religions of the world so that the word justice may never and nowhere in the world frighten innocent people, men and women of faith and goodwill, and so that wisdom may help finding ways to eradicate violence from the world, healing the wounds and not making new ones.

We commit ourselves to spread understanding and sympathy for our cultures and civilisations among our communities and facing the world, so to remove any root of distrust and fear, so to make the difficult art of dialogue and coexistence grow among all the inhabitants of the earth.

We do not ignore the many problems of our world and we know that peace needs wide and farsighted answers to the demand for justice that comes from the victims of endless wars and of extreme poverty. We just need the weak strength of faith, of prayer and of dialogue. But we know that they can touch the heart of our world and open ways to that peaceful world we all dream of.

So war never again! No more fear and distrust towards the other people. May God grant the whole world and every man and woman the wonderful gift of peace!