Statement by President Meloni on ten-year anniversary of Fr. Paolo Dall’Oglio’s kidnapping

On 29 July 2013, Father Paolo Dall’Oglio, founder of the Deir Mar Musa monastic community and a tireless advocate for peace and dialogue among the different religious groups in Syria, was abducted in Raqqa. Ten years have passed since his kidnapping, but the hope of being able to embrace him again has never faded. The Government expresses its sympathy to Father Dall'Oglio’s relatives, loved ones and fellow community members and renews Italy’s utmost commitment to bring him home. We stand with the Christian communities suffering as a result of conflict and persecution, and we echo the concerns expressed by Syrian bishops regarding the great difficulties being faced by the Syrian people on a daily basis.