LIREC participated in the first "Peace Talks" webinar of the series organized by UPF-Italy (with the collaboration of the Women’s Federation for World Peace-Italy). It was followed by about 200 participants. The main theme of the meeting was "The Role of Faith and Spirituality in the Time of the Coronavirus."

The panelists were: Imam Nader Akkad, Phd and Ambassador for Peace; Don Valentino Cottini, Catholic priest and lecturer at the Pontifical Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies; Franca Cohen, copresident of the Italian Federation of Progressive Judaism; Francesco Canale, pastor of the  Evangelical Community "Equippers Church"; and Raffaella Di Marzio, director of the Centre of Studies for Freedom of Religion, Belief and Consciousness.

The meeting was introduced by Gabriella Mieli, with special greetings to the participants by Elisabetta Nistri, president of the Women’s Federation. Carlo Zonato, president of UPF-Italy, introduced and moderated the meeting. Franco Ravaglioli, secretary general of UPF-Italy, submitted the questions to the speakers while the technical direction aspect was conducted by Giorgio Gasperoni.

Some significant passages from the Raffaella Di Marzio’ s speeche follows:

Some significant passages from the Raffaella Di Marzio’ s speech follows:

I thank you for the messages of brotherhood and spiritual charge that I have heard. Since the beginning of the pandemic, we as a study center have tried to monitor the situation, and we have realized that the pandemic has brought some knots to the comb. First of all, at which stage is the possibility to exercise the freedom of religion?

We have witnessed episodes of strong prejudice against some faith groups that, even before the total confinement was decreed, had been pointed out as spreading contagion. We have seen very different attitudes: For example football matches were played in the same places with hundreds of people for whom there was no concern. These situations were not only in Italy, but we also had news from abroad. In a secularized society, people think that religion is a private thing; so if you can't go to church or to worship, it's not an important problem.

But one cannot say that worship and faith are not important; for those who are believers, it is an essential link in life. So why then, when newsstands, museums or other places have reopened, why haven't the places of worship opened, even with precautions? It is another sign that faith and spirituality are put in the corner, they are put in second place.

The point is that faith for those who live it or have it is an essential part of their living, much more essential than other aspects of life. Therefore, spirituality must be defended, preserved and sustained as a public fact. Also, almost always those who have faith and spirituality dedicate themselves to offer help that would not be exercised by others. It is therefore a problem of priorities. Faith and spirituality cannot be lived as a secondary fact.

From the series of questions expressed by the attendees of this webinar emerged the proposal to draw up a summary document, shared by the most varied expressions of faith, that can safeguard and promote the exercise of faith and spirituality as an essential part of life itself. UPF, as requested by the speakers, could be the promoter of this document to be then submitted to the different communities of faith for a collection of signatures for support and then also to be submitted to institutional levels at government level.