“Only two years before the encyclical Pacem in terris, in 1961, the ‘Berlin wall’ was erected to divide, and set against each other, not only the two parts of this city, but also two ways of understanding and building the earthly city. On either side of the wall life assumed a different character, inspired by often antithetical principles, in a widespread climate of mutual suspicion and mistrust. Both as view of the world and as practical organization of life, that wall traversed the whole of humanity and penetrated into people’s hearts and minds, creating divisions that seemed destined to endure for ever” (no.2). “Faced by the growing awareness of human rights that were emerging at both the national and the international level, John XXIII intuited the force inherent in the phenomenon and its extraordinary power to change the course of history. What happened a few years later especially in central and eastern Europe offers a confirmation of this. The road to peace, the Pope taught in his Encyclical, had to pass through the defence and promotion of fundamental human rights” (no.4). (From the Message of John Paul II for the 36rd World Day for Peace: “Pacem in terris: a permanent commitment)
