Andrea Riccardi
Born in 1950, Andrea Riccardi is an Italian Catholic historian. In 1968 in Rome, he founded the Community of Saint Egidio, a lay movement that advocates interreligious dialogue as a method for resolving conflict. Nicknamed “the UN of Trastevere," the community has acted as a mediator in Mozambique, Algeria and Guatemala. Professor of the history of Christianity and religion at Rome III University, Riccardi is the author of a number of books including Ils sont morts pour leur foi (They died for their faith) published by Plon in 2002, and Sant'Egidio, l'Evangile au-delà des frontières (Saint Egidio, the Gospel without borders) published by Bayard in 2001. In 2009, he recieved the Charlemagne Prize for West European understanding.
In the wake of 9/11, the West demanded that Arab populations embrace democracy. In countries like Syria, they are now risking their lives to do just that, while Europeans stand back as though they were incapable of dealing with problems beyond their borders. The founder of the Community of Saint Egidio sets the record straight.