Assisi’s Manifesto: The Freedom of the Press

Assisi’s Papers were produced on May 3rd 2019: “an International Manifesto against all media walls and the practice of using words as stones”.
The Papers were endorsed by well-known personalities from all over the world and taken as an example of the human dialoguing, both crosscultural and cross-religious. The mission: to promote a culture of Peace and a truthful communication.

1. Hostility represents the barrier hindering understanding. Understanding is required in order to be respectful toward the right/duty of the press and toward people. Let’s write about others what we would like to be written about us.
2. Proper information, trust and integrity build an honest relationship with the readers. Let’s not fear to correct something when we realise to be mistaken.
3. Let’s safeguard our dignity and others’ as well. Dignity is made of differences and multiplicities. Everybody has the right to speak, to be heard and to be seen. Let’s give voice to the most feeble ones.
4. Let’s create viewpoints based on facticities and, when we communicate, let’s respect the values of data in order to offer a whole and correct information. There are people behind numbers. Let’s learn the goodness that comes from giving right “numbers”.
5. Words can hurt and kill when misused. Let consciousness be our priority. Let’s erase violence from websites and blogs. Let’s denounce keyboard “squadristas”. Let’s commit to heal conflicts. Words are like stones, let’s use them to build bridges.
6. Let’s be spokesmen and spokeswomen for those who are thirsty for truth, peace and social justice. When a reporter is threatened by crime and mafia, let’s not leave him/her alone. Let’s walk together. Let’s be “media bodyguards” of truth.
7. With our work we can bring light to suburbs, of the world and of the soul. A mission is so much more gratifying than been under the spotlights. Let’s not presume we are the centre of the world.
8. Internet is a revolution, but what we communicate is the revelation of who we are. May our outline be authentic and transparent. The web is a precious asset: let’s live it as a community asset too.
9. Society is not an entanglement of threads, but a network made of people, a community made of sisters and brothers. Political and religious pluralism do represent fundamental values. Let’s connect people together.
10. It is necessary to spread the word all over. Today a revolution is awaiting in the agorà of the Web. Let’s give body to information, let’s make it digitally public.