MESSAGE FOR THE WORLD DAY OF PEACE
The Pope’s message for the World Day of Peace, which, as every year, will be celebrated on January 1st 2018, is dedicated to “Migrants and refugees: men and women in search of peace.” Pope Francis reminds us that there are over 250 million migrants worldwide, of whom 22.5 million are refugees. They are all searching for “somewhere to live in peace” as a consequence of war, hunger, “discrimination, persecution, poverty and environmental degradation.”
Migrants and refugees are “men and women in search of peace.” That’s why government leaders and citizens of countries of arrival should practice “the virtue of prudence”, “to welcome, promote, protect, integrate” migrants and refugees, taking “practical measures” “within the limits allowed by a correct understanding of the common good.” It’s the core of Pope Francis’ appeal, contained in the Message for the World Day of Peace, due to be celebrated on January 1st, titled “Migrants and refugees: men and women in search of peace.” The Pope guards against the “rhetoric” of those who “foment fear of migrants for political purposes” sowing “violence, racial discrimination and xenophobia”, and called upon all nations to adopt the U.N. Global Compacts for safe migration and for refugees, up for discussion in 2018. The Message was presented today in the Vatican press room.
“Peace is a profound aspiration for everyone.” Peace, wrote Pope Francis, “is a profound aspiration for everyone, for each individual and all peoples, and especially for those who most keenly suffer its absence.” In order to find a place to live in peace, he said, they “are willing risk their lives on a journey that is often long and perilous, to endure hardships and suffering, and to encounter fences and walls built to keep them far from their goal.” “Much more remains to be done before our brothers and sisters can once again live peacefully in a safe home – he said – Welcoming others requires concrete commitment, a network of assistance and goodwill, vigilant and sympathetic attention, the responsible management of new and complex situations that at times compound numerous existing problems, to say nothing of resources, which are always limited.” Francis
called upon government leaders to take practical measures “within the limits allowed by a correct understanding of the common good, to permit [them] to become part of a new society.”
“They have a clear responsibility towards their own communities – the Pope underlined -, whose legitimate rights and harmonious development they must ensure, lest they become like the rash builder who miscalculated and failed to complete the tower he had begun to construct.”
No to the “rhetoric” of those who “foment fear of migrants for political reasons.” “Those who, for what may be political reasons, foment fear of migrants instead of building peace are sowing violence, racial discrimination and xenophobia, which are matters of great concern for all those concerned for the safety of every human being.” Pope Francis points a finger against a
“rhetoric”, whose spread is seen “in many destination Countries”, “decrying the risks posed to national security or the high cost of welcoming new arrivals, and by doing so demeans the human dignity due to all
as sons and daughters of God.”Quoting Saint John Paul II when he pointed to the “increased numbers of displaced persons as one of the consequences of the ‘endless and horrifying sequence of wars, conflicts, genocides and ethnic cleansings’”, that had characterized the 20th century, Francis underlines that “the new century has registered no real breakthrough: armed conflicts and other forms of organized violence continue to trigger the movement of peoples within national borders and beyond.” “All indicators available to the international community suggest that global migration will continue for the future. Some consider this a threat. For my part – the Pope said – I ask you to view it with confidence as an opportunity to build peace.” The Pope pointed out that migrants “bring their courage, skills, energy and aspirations, as well as the treasures of their own cultures.” In this way, “they enrich the lives of the nations that receive them.”
“Our cities, often divided and polarized by conflicts regarding the presence of migrants and refugees, will thus turn into workshops of peace.”
“Approve the two U.N. Global Compacts!.” In the final remarks of the Message, Francis recalls the “four mileposts for action” expressed in the verbs “to welcome, to protect, to promote, to integrate.” He expressed the hope that “in the course of 2018 this spirit “will lead the United Nations to draft and approve two Global Compacts, one for safe, orderly and regular migration and the other for refugees.” These compacts will provide “a framework for policy proposals and practical measures.” “For this reason – Pope Francis underlined – they need to be inspired by compassion, foresight and courage, so as to take advantage of every opportunity to advance the peace-building process. Only in this way can the realism required of international politics avoid surrendering to cynicism and to the globalization of indifference.” Francis called for “dialogue and coordination” across the international community, ensuring the possibility that “beyond national borders, higher numbers of refugees may be welcomed – or better welcomed – also by less wealthy countries, if international cooperation guarantees them the necessary funding.”
