This morning, Pope Francis received in audience at the Vatican Andrea Riccardi and Marco Impagliazzo, founder and president of the Community of Sant'Egidio. At the hearing, they dealt with the issues of peace, ecumenism, interreligious dialogue, the martyrdom of Christians in the present time in particular in Syria and Iraq, the prospects of collaboration between Christians and Muslims for Peace. 

Andrea Riccardi and Marco Impagliazzo showed to Pope Francis the results of the International Meeting "Peace is the Future" that was recently held in Antwerp, Belgium, and which ended with the signing of  the “Appeal for Peace 2014" signed by all the participants.

As to the forthcoming visit of Pope Francis to Tirana, the founder and the president of Sant'Egidio illustrated the work done by the Community on the side of the Albanian people, a victim of the persecution of communism. In Tirana, during his visit, the pope will meet, among others, a group of psychically and mentally handicapped, guests of a family home of the Community of Sant'Egidio. In the Albanian capital the annual Prayer for Peace of the Community of Sant'Egidio will take place in September 2015.