” “Europe and the recollection of the Armenian genocide will be the focus this year for the "Universities and Peace Days 2007" of Lourdes, an initiative that began in 2000 in the attempt to network universities all over the world to work effectively by training their students in the building of peace and the reconciliation of peoples. The Days, which have been presented in Rome today, in the premises of the Vatican Radio Station, will take place from 20th to 22nd July, with 40 speakers coming to Lourdes from 12 countries. Then, they will be followed by a number of events organised all over the city for the thousands of pilgrims who will be there. This will end on 14th August with a concert for peace (attended by 25,000 people last year) and the launch of the actions for peace 2007, i.e. a summary of the projects completed by the university students on peace-related issues. The Universities of Macerata and Venice, Luiss of Rome, the University of Malta, Sarajevo, Santiago de Compostela, Quebec have joined the project. In 2005, the Days of Lourdes also drew up a "Charter for Peace", which lists some principles for a "culture of peace", such as "the respect of the human being, the organisation of meetings and the pursuit of dialogue, the creation of groups of young ambassadors of peace". (continued)” “
