Italy’s Ambassador to Riyadh Converts To Islam
Italy’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia accepted Islam. Torquato Cardilli revealed his decision on November 25, 2001, his 59th birthday.
Cardilli is a graduate in oriental culture and languages from the University of Naples. He also served as ambassador to Albania and Tanzania. He is married with two children and speaks Arabic fluently.
His conversion follows many years of study in Islam. Finally, he officially converted to Islam in Saudi Arabia on November 16, 2001, on the eve of the holy month of Ramadan. In a press statement, he expressed his happiness and said that he was fully convinced of the truthfulness of Islam through his regular readings of the Holy Qur’an.
This is the second time that an Italian ambassador to Saudi Arabia converted to Islam. Seven year ago, Mario Scialoja shocked everyone when he converted to Islam. He was at that time Rome’s permanent representative to the United Nations in New York. He was later posted to Saudi Arabia as Italy’s ambassador in 1994-95.
According to figures from the Union of Islamic Organizations and Communities, some 3,000 to 5,000 Italians have recently converted to Islam from Catholicism.