12 SCN 37-523

SCN 37-523

CHAIRPERSON PING SIGNS MOU ON PROMOTION OF PEACE WITH THE COMMUNITY OF SANT’EGIDIO PRESS RELEASE N. 103/2009

by African Union

July 15, 2010. www.africa-union.org Reproduced by The European House-Ambrosetti for the Forum “Developing the Regions of Africa and Europe”, Taormina, October 7 and 8, 2010.

AFRICAN UNION

UNION AFRICAINE UNIÃO AFRICANA Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA website : www. africa-union.org

DIVISION OF COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION

PRESS RELEASE Nº103/ 2009 CHAIRPERSON PING SIGNS MOU ON PROMOTION OF PEACE WITH THE COMMUNITY OF SAINT’ EGIDIO Addis Ababa 15 July 2010 – The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mr. Jean Ping, on 15 July 2010, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mr. Vittorio Scelzo, representative of an Italian religious community known as “Saint’ Egidio”.

The signing ceremony took place at the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Mr. Ping commended the institution for its humanitarian achievements in Africa particularly in the field of peace “. He expressed satisfaction to have the community of Saint’ Egidio as a partner to improve the living condition of both the African and Italian populations.

Chairperson Ping enumerated some areas of conflict where the religious community and the African Union can cooperate. He said Saint’ Egidio can play the role of mediation in situations where communities do not agree on a common issue.

Mr. Vittorio on his part thanked Chairperson Ping for accepting to cooperate with the community of Saint Egidio through the MoU they both signed, and also for committing the African Union Commission in the effort for promoting peace around the continent. He presented his community as an institution with 50 000 members around the world, of which more than half is in Africa. Some of the African countries who are actively involved in this religious community include Mozambique, Guinea Conakry and Malawi.

It is worth recalling that, the Community of Sant' Egidio is a Christian community that is officially recognized by the Catholic Church as a "Church public lay association". It was founded in Rome in 1968 by a group of Roman high school students led by Andrea Riccardi. It is named after the Roman Church of Sant'Egidio (Italian for Saint Giles) in Trastevere, its first permanent meeting place. Their activities include setting up refuges for the old, hospices for HIV and AIDS patients, and providing assistance to the homeless.

Division of Communication and Information. African Union Commission