Pope Francis despatched a message to individuals within the Fifth Worldwide Convention for World Steadiness organized in Cuba underneath the auspices of UNESCO, reiterating that the present a number of crises going through the world in the present day can solely be addressed collectively in fraternity and solidarity.
By Lisa Zengarini
In a time of worldwide political and social crises, our interconnected world wants greater than ever in the present day “to construct bridges that may assist us discover viable options collectively that do not exclude anybody”.
The Convention
Pope Francis reiterated this stance in a message addressed on Tuesday to individuals on the Fifth Worldwide Convention for World Steadiness, gathered in La Habana, Cuba, from 24-28 January to debate the present urgent worldwide points and challenges threatening world peace within the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The convention brings collectively, each three years, world thinkers, political and spiritual leaders, journalists, educators, writers, and scientists, to debate problems with peace and social justice.
It’s convened by the “José Martí Challenge for World Solidarity”, a Cuban think-tank named after the Cuban thinker and nationwide hero José Martí, which has been organizing the occasion since 2003 underneath the auspices of the UNESCO and different worldwide organizations. This 12 months’s occasion commemorates the one hundred and seventieth delivery of José Martí reflecting on his legacy in the present day.
Listening to others and studying from our elders
In his message Pope Francis insisted that adjustments to the present world state of affairs could be achieved solely by way of dialogue and fraternity and “listening to others”.
He additional remarks that the flexibility to enhance our world additionally comes from studying from those that got here earlier than us. Recalling the respect José Martí had for one more Cuban patriot that preceded him, Venerable Father Félix Varela, Pope Francis notes that his admiration for the Cuban priest’s braveness in denouncing injustice and his meek respect for others “reveals the significance of not denying our roots, which permit us to be taught from our elders”.
The present interconnected disaster can solely be resolved collectively
Pope Francis subsequently reiterates the necessity to “restore the phrase ‘collectively’ to a central place”. It’s “collectively in fraternity and solidarity – he says, citing his Message for this Yr’s World Day for Peace – , that we construct peace, guarantee justice and emerge from the best disasters”, as proven by “heroic” efforts made by all these individuals who labored tirelessly to assist everybody emerge from the COVID-19 disaster.
“This – the Pope concludes – is the important thing to recovering the steadiness that provides your assembly its title, as a result of solely collectively we will deal with the a number of ethical, social, political and financial crises we’re enduring and which are all interconnected”.
