A panel discussion on the occasion of the first anniversary of the Papal visit to the United States

The Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See together with the former President of the Italian Senate

Jew, Muslim, and Christian scholars will debate on "discovering truth"

For the first time in America a letter of the Holy Father on the future of dialogue among religions

Contact: Dino D'Agata, Crossroads Cultural Center, 240-498-6417

WASHINGTON, April 17 /Christian Newswire/ -- The panel seeks to explore recent developments in the approach to intercultural dialogue, on the anniversary of the Pontiff's speech to leaders of world religions. The John Paul II Cultural Center is the place where the Holy Father gave his address one year ago. The idea for the conference is to explore the direction that interreligious/intercultural dialogue is taking, starting with the speech the Pope gave in the US and considering recent developments and the upcoming trip by Benedict XVI to the Holy Land in May.

Among the developments we'll discuss, there is a letter the Pope wrote to Senator Marcello Pera, former President of the Italian Senate, on the occasion of the publication in Italian of the book Perche' dobbiamo dirci cristiani (Why We Must Call Ourselves Christian). Senator Pera, who years ago wrote a book with then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, will discuss the letter for the first time in the U.S.

Event Details---

WHAT: "The Purpose of Dialogue is to Discover the Truth": Cultural Implication of Religions in Public Life -- A Panel Discussion

WHEN: Tuesday, April 21, 2009, 7:30 PM EST

WHERE: The Pope John Paul II Cultural Center
3900 Harewood Road, NW - Washington, DC 20017
Metro: Red Line - Brookland/CUA Station

WHO:
• Archbishop Pietro SAMBI, Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See to the United States

• Marcello PERA, Former President of the Italian Senate, co-author of Without Roots with Joseph Ratzinger and author of Why We Must Call Ourselves Christian, with a Letter-Preface by His Holiness Benedict XVI

• David FARBER, Member of the American Jewish Committee and the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington

• Imam Yahya HENDI, Muslim chaplain at Georgetown University and member of the Islamic Jurisprudence Council of North America

• David SCHINDLER, Dean of John Paul II Institute; Editor-in-Chief of Communio

The event is free and open to the public

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CHECK THE CROSSROADS WEB SITE AT WWW.CROSSROADSCULTURALCENTER.ORG