On 9 October 2013, from 3:30PM to 8PM, an International Symposium will take place dedicated to "10 years of Asia - 10 years of our history". The Symposium will be held in the Aula Magna of the Pontifical Urbanianum University, Via Urbano VIII , 16, in the Vatican. It will be hosted by the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions and AsiaNews and all are welcome.

Guest - speakers will include:
- Card. George Pell , Archbishop of Sydney (Australia)
- Archbishop Savio Hon Taifai , Secretary of Propaganda Fide (Hong Kong, China)
- Fr. Samir Khalil Samir, expert in Islam (Beirut , Lebanon )
- Prof. Angelo Caloia , economist, professor at the Catholic University of Milan and LUMSA
- Testimonies of Christians from Asia

The symposium aims to focus attention on the global importance that the Asian continent has assumed over the last 10 years, despite its contradictions : a gigantic economic growth in the midst of widespread poverty; fundamentalism and the Arab Spring; Party dictatorships and struggles for democracy; the crucial mission of the Church in the midst of success stories in evangelization and radical persecution.

Freedom of religion and freedom of evangelization are the path towards a more human development and the way to reconcile all tensions.

At the same time the Symposium will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the online news agency AsiaNews.it, which since the 1st November 2003 has published daily news on Asia online in Italian, English and Chinese (www.asianews.it).

Asia is the continent that Pope Francis wants to visit soon, "our common task for the third millennium", as predicted by John Paul II.

Journalists interested in attending the event are asked to apply for accreditation by October 5 via e-mail or by telephone at the following contacts:

desk@asianews.it - +39-06-58320223