The Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies, founded by the Society of Missionaries of Africa was initially created to prepare Christian missionaries for living in Muslim countries. Over the years this initial purpose has been greatly expanded and the PISAI nowadays intends to prepare experienced ‘persons’ to living, working, speaking with Muslims, making thus a great contribution to the building of a just and strong society. The specialization offered by the PISAI through the intensive study of the Arabic language and Islamic Sciences is a solid basis for a cultural, spiritual and friendly meeting with Muslims, in a mutual readiness to cooperate and to grant the other the right to be different. Preparation, publication and research are the privileged tools for an awareness training  for dialogue, human dialogue first and then interreligious and intercultural.