PREFACE

This is the story of my career as journalist, during more than 50 years, travelling  in five continents and meeting the most important personalities of last and present century.
Many of these exclusive interviews are supported  by pictures, especially those with five Popes, as a unique  privilege for a journalist in the entire  world.,  as well as the interview with Padre Pio, in his convent in South Italy.
I consider myself a lucky man, because  I had opportunity of  covering safely the   most tragic events, such as wars in  Vietnam, Middle East  , Afghanistan and  other countries  , plus  local revolutions  and  most terrific earthquakes ,   but also memorable  events like the successful flight of  Russian Yuri Gagarin , the first man in the space.
I started this   fascinating work when I was very young , just 19 years and, now 78 , I am still reporting for radio, TV and newspapers from all over the world , writing in the meantime  four  books on Pope John Paul II, which today  are sold all over Poland.
The incomes of such initiative are entirely  devolved  to a  Catholic Mission in the centre of Africa , where  24 boys,  that I took  away from wild Pigmee  tribes  in the forest, are now  having  food and  school  , for their better future.
Let me be proud of the  49 international  and Italian   press - awards  which are the result of my full dedication to journalism,  always trying to report  only   the truth,  very often even  in most dangerous situations .
 Now, looking back in those long years,  I feel a great  privilege the service  done for TIME-LIFE, ABC  Radio and TV News, RAI Radio and TV,  Italian Channel Five , plus other  nine magazines  of several countries.
Let me  also  thank God ., for having protected me in those hottest spots of the world, especially in Afghanistan, during the occupation of Soviet Army in 1980 ,  or ten years before, in Jordan , during the civil war between  King Hussein  and Palestinians.
There,  I was  slightly    injured   in the “ Amman Intercontinental   Hotel “, during “ Black September” clashes  . It was  at 5.45 , Sept.16th 1970, when a Katiuscia  rocket   targeted my room  number 403  and  by   miracle I escaped  death .
Therefore, let me remember all  my friends , international reporters, who have been killed during our same assignments around the world, after having served faithfully the cause of Journalism, until last moment of their lives.