Though apologies have an important place in healing national and international relations, it is often difficult to know when they are appropriate.

Hate of his father pushed Kofi Bassaw Quartey to crime. Now he campaigns for integrity in Africa, writes Paul Williams.

Since I was 11 my foster mother had indicated many times that she’d be glad to see me go.

One institution which has remained unchanged over the last half century is the cake-shops of Acland Street, with their delectable displays.

Finlay Moir’s attitude to his son changed when he asked his own father for forgiveness.

Aaron Lazare is Chancellor and Dean, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA. The article is based on a lecture in Caux, Switzerland, in August 2002. Some of the material is taken from his forthcoming book on apology.

Paige Chargois travelled to West Africa for a meeting between the descendants of those who bought and sold Africans and the descendants of those they shipped to the Americas.

The Government of New Zealand has taken the unheard of step of apologizing to the Maori people--and beginning to redress their grievances. The architect of this process, Attorney General Sir Douglas Graham, spoke at the Agenda for Reconciliation conference in Caux in August. Mary Lean met him afterwards.

John Bond describes progress towards healing a deep hurt in the soul of Australia.

Italian journalist Luigi Accatolli has documented 94 occasions when the Pope has apologized publicly for different aspects of his Church's history. Laurie Vogel takes his message to heart.