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Rome to host ME Council
http://www.ansa.it/site/notizie/awnp...119372238.html
ROME TO HOST MIDEAST COUNCIL
Permanent forum to be based at Ara Pacis, symbol of peace
(ANSA) - Jerusalem, May 19 - Rome is to host a permanent council for Israeli-Palestinian reconciliation, the city's mayor, Gianni Alemanno, announced on Tuesday.
Speaking after a meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres, Alemanno said the council would be located at Rome's 2,000-year-old symbol of peace, the Ara Pacis. ''The idea is to set up a permanent office at the Ara Pacis, providing a permanent, complete council tasked with working towards reconciliation,'' said the mayor. Alemanno said he would also discuss the idea with Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas later on Tuesday.
The mayor said he hoped to launch the council on April 21, 2010, the birthday of Rome's mythical founding, in an event attended by political and religious leaders. Saying he was hopeful Pope Benedict XVI would be there, Alemanno explained that Peres had ''underlined the importance of involving leading world figures in such an initiative, which Rome is ideally placed to do''. According to Alemanno, a similar idea was raised over a year ago but was shelved during the change of government in May 2008.
Peres has reportedly said he will write to Premier Silvio Berlusconi to personally request his support for the initiative. Alemanno's announcement about the Rome council comes at the end of a visit that has seen him trying to forge closer ties with the area.
On Monday he joined his Jerusalem counterpart Nir Barkat for a ceremony in which a small square near Jerusalem's Italian synagogue was renamed 'Piazza Roma'.
The traditionally Jewish quarter of Rome will soon see one of its squares renamed Piazza Jerusalem. During his visit Alemanno also confirmed that the Palestinian National Authority is to get a permanent embassy in Rome.
The Palestinian embassy has moved around for the last ten years but will now be located ''in a prestigious building'' in the city's San Giovanni neighbourhood, the mayor said. The Ara Pacis, meaning Altar of Peace, was commissioned in 13 BC to celebrate peace throughout the Roman Empire under the Emperor Augustus. It was completed in 9 BC, 23 years before Augustus's death at the age of 76 in 14 AD.
ROME TO HOST MIDEAST COUNCIL
Permanent forum to be based at Ara Pacis, symbol of peace
(ANSA) - Jerusalem, May 19 - Rome is to host a permanent council for Israeli-Palestinian reconciliation, the city's mayor, Gianni Alemanno, announced on Tuesday.
Speaking after a meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres, Alemanno said the council would be located at Rome's 2,000-year-old symbol of peace, the Ara Pacis. ''The idea is to set up a permanent office at the Ara Pacis, providing a permanent, complete council tasked with working towards reconciliation,'' said the mayor. Alemanno said he would also discuss the idea with Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas later on Tuesday.
The mayor said he hoped to launch the council on April 21, 2010, the birthday of Rome's mythical founding, in an event attended by political and religious leaders. Saying he was hopeful Pope Benedict XVI would be there, Alemanno explained that Peres had ''underlined the importance of involving leading world figures in such an initiative, which Rome is ideally placed to do''. According to Alemanno, a similar idea was raised over a year ago but was shelved during the change of government in May 2008.
Peres has reportedly said he will write to Premier Silvio Berlusconi to personally request his support for the initiative. Alemanno's announcement about the Rome council comes at the end of a visit that has seen him trying to forge closer ties with the area.
On Monday he joined his Jerusalem counterpart Nir Barkat for a ceremony in which a small square near Jerusalem's Italian synagogue was renamed 'Piazza Roma'.
The traditionally Jewish quarter of Rome will soon see one of its squares renamed Piazza Jerusalem. During his visit Alemanno also confirmed that the Palestinian National Authority is to get a permanent embassy in Rome.
The Palestinian embassy has moved around for the last ten years but will now be located ''in a prestigious building'' in the city's San Giovanni neighbourhood, the mayor said. The Ara Pacis, meaning Altar of Peace, was commissioned in 13 BC to celebrate peace throughout the Roman Empire under the Emperor Augustus. It was completed in 9 BC, 23 years before Augustus's death at the age of 76 in 14 AD.
When you stated "Rome" will host, I felt for a minute that we were back in biblical times.. It's just all unfolding, everything at one time. It's hard to keep up with it all, this is very exciting times to be living in especially that our eyes are open and we can really see what is going on.
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