During the visit of German President Frank Walter Steinmeier to the Sant' Egidio community headquarters in Rome, participants highlighted "the value of the long friendship between Sant'Egidio and Germany" and recalled his involvement in numerous events organized by the community, including the international meeting 'The Audacity of Peace' held in Berlin in September 2023, according to a statement from the organization.

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Visit to school that sponsored the inclusion of migrants

Issues discussed at the meeting included "peace, which was described by both sides as fundamental and urgent given the numerous ongoing conflicts; Africa and its necessary development to provide an answer to the many young people searching for a future, and the duty not to stop humanitarian aid to Ukraine, where numerous Sant'Egidio communities are present to aid the internally displaced," continued the statement.

The document went on to say that the meeting, in particular, highlighted the need to foster integration "as a response to the many crises faced by Europe and the world."

Particularly meaningful in this context, it said, was President Steinmeier's visit, after the talks, to a nearby Sant-Egidio-run Italian language and culture school, "which in over 40 years of activity has favoured the social and labour inclusion of thousands of migrants."

"The German president was also able to greet some refugees who have reached Italy thanks to humanitarian corridors, a tried and tested model of integration which has reached its tenth year of life," it noted.

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'Pope must continue his mediating role for peace' - Steinmeier

"The Vatican is available when the sides in conflict seek reconciliation. I encouraged the Pope to continue this role of mediation," the German president was quoted as saying by his spokesperson Cerstin Gammelin on X after the private hearing with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican.

The spokeswoman added that the pontiff and the president discussed the situation of Christian churches in the world and of international conflicts. "Churches can play a positive role in maintaining cohesion in our society", said the German president.

Speaking about the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza, Steinmeier stressed that "the Pope's voice is an important factor of mediation," Vatican News reported.

During his trip to Rome, Germany's president also visited the headquarters of the World Food Program, where he met with representatives of United Nations agencies based in the Italian capital. "These agencies deserve our strong support", Steinmeier was reported as saying by Ambassador Andreas von Brandt, the permanent representative to the UN in Rome.