(Vatican Radio) In and of itself, the Arab Spring is a good thing: it is a desire for greater democracy, greater freedom, greater cooperation, a renewed Arab identity. This cry for freedom, which comes from a young population which is more culturally and professionally educated and seeking more participation in political and social life, is a very positive step forward, and also welcomed by Christians. Of course, from the history of revolutions we know that the cry for freedom, which is so important and positive, is always in danger of forgetting one fundamental dimension of freedom, which is tolerating others. The fact is that human freedom is always a freedom that is shared, and can only grow in its shared nature and in solidarity, living together with particular rules. This is always the danger, also in this case. We must do everything possible to ensure that the concept of freedom, the desire for freedom, moves in the right direction, and does not forget tolerance, harmony, and reconciliation are essential parts of freedom. So the renewed Arab identity also means, I think, renewal of the thousand year secular tradition of Christians and Arabs, who together, by tolerating the majority and minority, have built these lands and cannot but live together. So I think it’s important to see the positive elements in these movements and do our best to see that freedom is conceived in the right way and responds to greater dialogue and not to the supremacy of one over the other. ...