Italian sociologist and intellectual property consultant. Founder and managing director of the Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR), an international network of scholars who study new religious movements. Author of tens of books and articles in the field of sociology of religion. He was the main author of the "Enciclopedia delle religioni in Italia" ("Encyclopedia of Religions in Italy") and is a member of the editorial board for the Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion. From January 5 to December 31, 2011, he has served as the "Representative on combating racism, xenophobia and discrimination, with a special focus on discrimination against Christians and members of other religions" of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). In June 2012 he has been appointed by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs chairperson of the newly instituted Observatory of Religious Liberty, created by the Ministry in order to monitor problems of religious liberty on a worldwide scale. (source: Wikipedia)