Italian missionary Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra, a well-known peace advocate in the southern Philippines, has been awarded one of Italy’s highest honors, the Cavaliere dell’Ordine della Stella d’Italia (Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy), for his lasting commitment to the cause of peace and interreligious dialogue between different cultures in Mindanao. The award, granted by Italian President Sergio Mattarella, was presented to the priest in Manila by Italy’s ambassador to the Philippines, Davide Giglio, on Oct. 1. D’Ambra, a priest of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME), has served in the Philippines since 1977, promoting dialogue between Muslims and Christians through the Silsilah Movement, which he founded. The Silsilah Movement has worked to overcome religious barriers through initiatives of coexistence between Christians and Muslims, making a significant contribution to the establishment and consolidation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. The movement has received several national and international peace awards, including the Goi Peace Award in 2013 and the World Interfaith Harmony Week Award in 2014. D’Ambra also received the Bishop Jorge Barlin Golden Cross Award in July 2024, the highest honor given by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), for his service to the Church, and served for many years as executive secretary of the CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on Interreligious Dialogue.
