As protesters rallied across Iraq condemning the announced burning of the Quran in Sweden and stormed the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad, many called for respect for the sacred texts. On this issue, so remarked, a few days ago, a note by UCEI. “The Union of the Italian Jewish Communities, with all its 21 local Communities, deplores and expresses its deepest concern over the formal legitimization by the Swedish authorities of the burning of sacred books such as the Torah and the Quran, as well as that of any holy text or symbol of other faiths. It is an extremely serious event that we firmly condemn, as it must be remembered that \u2013 as already stated by illustrious thinkers and as it has unfortunately already happened several times throughout history \u2013 where they start burning books, they will eventually burn people. Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of Western societies, a precious and indispensable right. Yet, it cannot and must not harm the indispensable respect for the right to freedom of religion”.
\nItalian foreign minister Antonio Tajani, among others, expressed his solidarity “with Sweden over the fire at its Embassy in Baghdad. Burning sacred texts, the Gospel, the Quran or the Torah, is an act of violence against God and believers. We continue to commit ourselves to interreligious dialogue”. For the Foreign Minister, the House of the Abrahamic Family in Abu Dhabi should be taken as an example.<\/p>\n