Our past
The PISAI was founded in 1926 by the Society of Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers), as training centre for missionaries and priests in charge in various areas of the Muslim world. This centre was initially located in Tunis, and later became known under the name of IBLA (Institut des Belles Lettres Arabes). In 1949 the White Fathers decided to separate their teaching action from the other activities of the centre, establishing in La Manouba a house for Arabic and Islamic Studies, promoted in 1960 as Institut Pontifical d’Etudes Orientales (IPEO), thanks to a decision taken by the Congregation of Seminaries and Universities. In 1964 the Institute moved to Rome and it was located, for more than 3 years, in a small building in Via XXX Aprile. Due to the presence in Rome of another Institute under a similar name (Pontificio Istituto Orientale), its name was changed in Institut Pontifical d’Etudes Arabes (IPEA). Only in 1979 the centre took its actual name Pontificio Istituto di Studi Arabi e d’Islamistica (PISAI), following the Apostolic Constitution Sapientia Christiana. Since 1997 the PISAI cooperates with the Dar Comboni Centre for Arabic Studies, based in Cairo.