ROME 2/23/ 2007
“GIVING VOICE TO DEMOCRATIC ISLAM”

FederPetroli Italia represented by its President, Michele Marsiglia, on 23rd and 24th February p.v., will host the “Giving Voice to Muslim Democrats” Workshop organised in Naples by the Università L'Orientale, the Fondazione Mediterraneo and the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center ( www.meiad.org ).

The presence of FederPetroli Italia in Naples will be an important engagement, as President  Marsiglia underlines: ‘ FederPetroli Italia has always steered its relationship policy towards the Middle East, a strategic point for our Sector. The presence of peoples with different religious beliefs continuously leads us to understand, in parallel with our mission of  company development, what it means when there is co-operation between peoples of different cultures, different religious faiths, different customs that, with mutual respect, contribute to the creation of a single guiding thread, bringing about (always with great satisfaction) an integration of people from our structure and investors oriented towards the territories of the Middle East, which have developed important initiatives in situ. No less important are the numerous Diplomatic Relationships with Middle Eastern institutions that FederPetroli Italia established in 2006 and is continuing to meet in 2007, strategies and policies that have made it possible for a joint vision aimed at the Mediterranean basin, an area of strong commercial and economic/industrial speculation for the international negotiation of the Oil Sector.'

President Marsiglia continued by expressing his regret about what has happened recently: ‘…I regret and am offended both personally and in my official capacity following certain statements and theories that have appeared in the press in the last few weeks.  The hospitality, which was offered to me by the Workshops's organisation, honoured me with an invitation to participate in this important initiative which has been criticized by Dr. Magdi Allam in the "Corriere della Sera"; he defined the guests and speakers (as well as certain people of international importance) at the meeting as instigators of terrorism and that they have expressed on several occasions judgements and opinions in favour of armed groups in various countries of the Middle East.' Marsiglia continued ‘…I am convinced that Allam, who is an illustrious person and editorialist that I have always admired, this time has made totally inappropriate comments and judgements. I would never allow myself, with respect to my personal moral standards or my style, let alone whilst representing a company or a federation, to participate in a meeting or any other event where there could be even the slightest doubt of “pro-terrorist or subversive” presences. Dr. Allam, I think moral standards are a great resource that lie within us that absolutely can not and must not be touched by the media or by someone such as yourself. This time the exaggeration has crossed that border-line that should never be breached'.

FederPetroli Italia's presence in Naples in the next few days will be aimed at an even better understanding and comparison with the Islamic World and to stronger ties and a lasting friendship with a cultural world and a faith that today is perfectly integrated and numerous worldwide.