“It had been months since the last tragedy in the Caucasian area and as usual we are particularly affected and sad” commented the President of the Association Rondine Cittadella della Pace, Franco Vaccari, referring to yesterday’s attack  in the South Caucasus where a suicide bomber detonated a car in Vladikavkaz, capital of North Ossetia (Russian Federation), causing the death of 18 people and injuring more than 100 others.

“In the light of the recent Friendship Trip to the Caucasus of Rondine”, Mr. Vaccari continued, “I take the opportunity to remark that these territories are mentioned on the media only in tragic occasions like this, even if they are rich in history and beauty. Anyway, I consider that the European Union cannot be distant from this reality anymore and must intervene in a concrete way.”

The President added that he is close to the families and population affected by this umpteenth tragic event which shows that “violence is not over in a land where the majority of people only desires to live a normal life, beyond pain and suffering.”

The Italian Association Rondine Cittadella della Pace has an active role in the promotion of a culture of dialogue and peace particularly in the Caucasian area. Its commitment was concretized in May 2009 with the first “International Conference of the Peoples of the Caucasus” which brought together at La Verna, Italy, international experts from all round the world. In that occasion the Document in 14 points for Peace in the Caucasus was presented, started by the students of Rondine following the war of August 2008 between Russia and Georgia.

In the medieval village of Rondine (Arezzo, Italy) where the International Hall of Residence is based, students from the Russian Federation, Southern Caucasus, Balkans, Middle East and Africa share their life and study experience in Italy. Each day they live their experience sharing their cultures and traditions with a vision of peaceful coexistence.