ISLAM-CHRISTIAN DIALOGUE

132 a real danger for all the monarchies of the peninsula (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Emi- rates). Together with Pakistan, these sta- tes founded the Organization of the Confe- rence of Islamic States (OCSI) in 1969. It is well known that Saudi Arabia, the richest country, has financed Islamic brotherho- ods and movements throughout the wor- ld to promote religious fundamentalism in the name of Islam, spreading daily hatred towards the corrupt and corrupting West. In most Muslim countries, Islamisation is carried out through sweeping propagan- da that does not neglect the use of all mo- dern means of mass communication. 1974 Lahore in Pakistan, suppres- sion of Christian visibility One of the OIC resolutions recommended "eliminating" the Christian presence in Arab and Islamic countries. To eliminate means to minimize the visibility of a re- ligion other than Islam, as is the case of Egypt for the Copts, and that of Lebanon, the only Arab country with a Christian president, and with freedom of worship for all religions. The Islamic Tsunami The image that official Islam gives of it- self today is contradictory and the media do not emphasize its spirituality. It seems to pay more attention to issues that have roots in custom and tradition rather than religion (the veil, covering the woman's body, ritual practices, gender discrimina- tion) and not to the inner dimension of the person. In recent decades, the current of thou- ght has imposed itself on the power of the Arab states, claiming to apply to the letter the dictates of the Koran without contextualizing its reading and reflection. Moreover, it is unable, or unwilling, to distinguish between Christian civilization and Western modernization. This current, combined with economic and cultural un- derdevelopment, manages to coagulate large strata of the population, disappoin- ted by the lack of economic development and social reforms always promised by governments and never implemented. Islam is then perceived as an opportuni- ty for redemption and fundamentalism exploits the ignorance of these social stra- ta regarding its objectives of conquest. Religious prejudices, customs and tradi- tions, frustrations, economic backwar- dness, feelings of hostility towards the West together with that of God-favoured people, are all components of a powder keg ready to explode if no action is taken in time. Given these differences and contradi- ctions, I wonder whether the Islamic law of a country can guarantee peace to its ci- tizens, or is it itself a source of hatred and discord? One thing that is puzzling was noted in a recent UN report: the countries of the Muslim world, which are home to 20% of the world's population, account for only 4% of world trade. Furthermore, the countries in the Muslim Arab world where there is most innovation today are those that have little or no oil. The relationship between Islam and Chri- stianity in the Middle East indicates some critical issues relating to the issue of cul- tural and religious minorities, issues of great importance also for understanding and managing the presence of Muslims in European countries. (Agnelli Foundation) Year 2007 I AM CONVINCED THAT ISLAM, UN- DERSTOOD ACCORDING TO ITS SPI- RITUAL TRADITION, CAN OFFER PRE- CIOUS RESOURCES TO BE SPENT AND SHARED TO BUILD, TOGETHER WITH CHRISTIANITY AND JUDAISM, THE GLOBAL CULTURE OF PEACE AND FRATERNITY.