“I only hope that the witness of men and women of God, united in condemning every form of violence, especially that which takes religion as a pretext, may touch many people in France and elsewhere”. With this hope, Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, archbishop of Lyon, welcomed the decision announced by Andrea Riccardi at the end of this year’s conference in Milan to hold the next “Man and religions” international meeting in Lyon from 11 to 13 September 2005. “The city of Lyon said the cardinal has a long tradition of ecumenical and interreligious dialogue behind it. When the St. Egidio Community proposed to hold the next meeting in Lyon, I felt great joy. It will be the first time that France will host an event of this kind that has as its objective “pursuing the spirit of Assisi”. “I hope added the archbishop that this first French edition of ‘Man and religions’ may help us to cultivate the art of living together and show that believers may be builders of society and servants of peace”. Cardinal Barbarin also stressed the need for “this meeting of spiritual, political and intellectual leaders of various provenance to arouse a greater openness in our hearts”.
