The President of Togo visiting Sant'Egidio in the name of an old friendship

  “Sant'Egidio has played an important role in the political life of my country”, said the President of the Republic of Togo, when he met Andrea Riccardi, Marco Impagliazzo and some leaders of the Community. The visit to Sant'Egidio was like "a return to origins" for Faure Gnassingbe, who thanked the community for the friendship shown towards this West African country in its most difficult years. The President stressed that the "method of Sant'Egidio", which is based on the direct encounter between the parties - seeking what unites and putting aside what divides – was successful in offering concrete solutions to the crisis experienced between 2004 and 2005 between the government and the opposition forces: "Sant'Egidio has a discreet method that is based on friendship and succeeds with time in bringing closer those that, for many reasons, are apparently far but are part of the same family, of the same nation”.

"Choosing for the encounter and dialogue is never easy, but today we look at this country with great hope", said Andrea Riccardi, noting that the recent Headquarters Agreement, which was signed between the Republic of Togo and the Community, is "a recognition of the work for the poor and peace". Sant'Egidio has been present in Togo since 2000 in various centres of the country, starting from the capital Lome. In schools and universities carries out campaigns against violence and the phenomenon of lynchings. In the suburbs it encourages the Schools of Peace, works for the integration of street children and the social inclusion of old people living in conditions of marginality.