Andrea Riccardi, founder of the Community of Sant'Egidio, at the opening assembly of "The Audacity of Peace. Religions and Cultures in Dialogue", held in Berlin from 10 to 12 September, pointed out the meaning of the title of the 37th International Meeting for Peace in the 'spirit of Assisi'.
"There is a crucial point, expressed in the title of our meeting, the audacity of peace. In this difficult situation, prudence, although necessary, is no longer enough, nor are realism or loyalty, albeit decisive: we need audacity, which leads us beyond the wall of the impossible, which is where we have stopped.
A man who consumed himself on Scripture, Walter Brueggemann, writes: in the face of war "it is difficult for us to believe the possibility that a new reality may hatch. The future seems tired, atrocious, a replica of the past.”
Audacity of peace means believing that there is an alternative. That we must invest more in dialogue and diplomacy, in meeting for just and peaceful solutions. Talking about peace is not taking intellectually the aggressor’s side, nor selling the free will of others, but deep and realistic awareness of the evil war does to peoples. Audacity of peace, which is to pursue alternative visions without resigning oneself to the obligatory tracks of reality. Audacity of peace, for us believers, is invocation of peace and trust in God, who has plans of peace that guide history."
Read the full text of Andrea Riccardi's speech.
