Today, the International Conference on the theme: Human Rights in the Contemporary World: Conquests, Omissions and Negations opens today at the Pontifical Gregorian University. This event, held on the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 25th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action for the protection of human rights in the world, was organized by the Pontifical Gregorian University and the Holy See's Dicastery for Integral Human Development.
The Holy Father, Pope Francis sent a Message to all those who are participating in this International Conference. The text of this Message was read aloud this morning by His Excellency, Peter K.A. Turkson, Prefect of the Dicastery for Integral Human Development.
Your Eminences,
Venerable brothers in the Episcopate and in the Priesthood,
Dear brothers and sisters,
I am pleased to send my cordial greetings to all of you, representatives of States to the Holy See as well as representatives of the institutions of the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the Episcopal Commissions of Justice and Peace and of Social Pastoral Care, representatives from the academic world and various organizations from civil society, convened in Rome for the International Conference on the theme Human rights in the contemporary world: conquests, omissions and negations, promoted by the Dicastery for Integral Human Development and by the Pontifical Gregorian University, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 25th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action.
Through these two documents, the family of Nations wanted to recognize the equal dignity of every human person (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 10 December 1948, Preamble and Article 1)
from which derive fundamental rights and freedoms which, as rooted in the nature of the human person - an inseparable unit of body and soul - are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interconnected (Vienna Declaration, 25 June 1993, number 5). At the same time, in the Declaration of 1948 it is recognized that every individual has duties towards the community, in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 29.1).
In the year in which significant anniversaries of these international legal instruments are celebrated, an in-depth reflection on the foundation and respect for human rights in the contemporary world seems opportune, a reflection that I hope will be a harbinger of a renewed commitment to the defence of human dignity, with special attention paid to the most vulnerable members of the community.
Indeed, by observing our contemporary societies carefully, we find numerous contradictions that lead us to wonder whether the equal dignity of all human beings, solemnly proclaimed 70 years ago, is truly recognized, respected, protected and promoted in all circumstances. Numerous forms of injustice persist in the world today, nurtured by reductive anthropological visions and by an economic model based on profit, which does not hesitate to exploit, to discard and even to kill mankind (Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, 53). While one part of humanity lives in opulence, another part sees its own dignity that is disowned, despised or trampled upon and its fundamental rights ignored or violated.
I am thinking, among other things, of the unborn children who are denied the right to come into the world; of those who do not have access to indispensable means for a dignified life (Saint John XXIII, Encyclial Letter Pacem in terris, 11 April 1963, 6), of those who are excluded from adequate education; of those who are unjustly deprived of work or forced to work as slaves; of those who are detained in inhuman conditions, who are subjected to torture or who are denied the opportunity to redeem themselves (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2267), of the victims of forced disappearances and of their families.
My thoughts also go out to all those who live in a climate dominated by suspicion and contempt, which are the subject of acts of intolerance, discrimination and violence because of their racial, ethnic, national or religious affiliations (Speech to participants taking part in the World conference on the theme: Xenophobia, racism and populist nationalization, in the context of world migrations, 20 September 2018).
Finally, I cannot neglect to recall all those who continue to suffer because of multiple violations of their fundamental rights, living in tragic situations of armed conflict, while unscrupulous merchants of death (General Audience, Saint Peter's Square, 11 June 2014) grow steadily richer at the price of their own brothers' and sisters' blood.
In the face of these serious phenomena, we are all called into question. In fact, when fundamental rights are violated, or when they are favoured by some to the detriment of others, or when they are guaranteed only for certain groups, then serious injustices occur, which in turn fuel conflicts with heavy consequences both within individual nations and in the relationships that exist between them.
Each of us is therefore called to contribute with courage and determination, according to the specificity of their role, to promoting respect for the fundamental rights of every person, especially those who are invisible: the many who are hungry and thirsty, those who are naked, sick, foreigners or detained (cf Mt 25:35-36), as well as those who live on the margins of society and those who are discarded by society.
This need for justice and solidarity has a special significance for us Christians, because the Gospel itself invites us to turn our gaze to the little ones who are our brothers and sisters, to move toward compassion (cf Mt 14:14) and to work hard to alleviate their sufferings.
I wish, on this occasion, to address a heartfelt appeal to those with institutional responsibilities, asking them to place human rights at the centre of all their policies, including those including cooperation in development, even when this means going against the current.
With the hope that these days of reflection may awaken consciences and inspire initiatives aimed at protecting and promoting human dignity, I entrust each of you, your families and your peoples to the intercession of Mary Most Holy, Queen of Peace, and I invoke upon all of you the abundance of divine blessings.
From the Vatican
10 December 2018
The Holy Father, Pope Francis sent a Message to all those who are participating in this International Conference. The text of this Message was read aloud this morning by His Excellency, Peter K.A. Turkson, Prefect of the Dicastery for Integral Human Development.
Message of His Holiness, Pope Francis
sent to those participating in the
International Conference on Human Rights
Your Eminences,
Venerable brothers in the Episcopate and in the Priesthood,
Dear brothers and sisters,
I am pleased to send my cordial greetings to all of you, representatives of States to the Holy See as well as representatives of the institutions of the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the Episcopal Commissions of Justice and Peace and of Social Pastoral Care, representatives from the academic world and various organizations from civil society, convened in Rome for the International Conference on the theme Human rights in the contemporary world: conquests, omissions and negations, promoted by the Dicastery for Integral Human Development and by the Pontifical Gregorian University, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 25th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action.
Through these two documents, the family of Nations wanted to recognize the equal dignity of every human person (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 10 December 1948, Preamble and Article 1)
from which derive fundamental rights and freedoms which, as rooted in the nature of the human person - an inseparable unit of body and soul - are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interconnected (Vienna Declaration, 25 June 1993, number 5). At the same time, in the Declaration of 1948 it is recognized that every individual has duties towards the community, in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 29.1).
In the year in which significant anniversaries of these international legal instruments are celebrated, an in-depth reflection on the foundation and respect for human rights in the contemporary world seems opportune, a reflection that I hope will be a harbinger of a renewed commitment to the defence of human dignity, with special attention paid to the most vulnerable members of the community.
Indeed, by observing our contemporary societies carefully, we find numerous contradictions that lead us to wonder whether the equal dignity of all human beings, solemnly proclaimed 70 years ago, is truly recognized, respected, protected and promoted in all circumstances. Numerous forms of injustice persist in the world today, nurtured by reductive anthropological visions and by an economic model based on profit, which does not hesitate to exploit, to discard and even to kill mankind (Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, 53). While one part of humanity lives in opulence, another part sees its own dignity that is disowned, despised or trampled upon and its fundamental rights ignored or violated.
I am thinking, among other things, of the unborn children who are denied the right to come into the world; of those who do not have access to indispensable means for a dignified life (Saint John XXIII, Encyclial Letter Pacem in terris, 11 April 1963, 6), of those who are excluded from adequate education; of those who are unjustly deprived of work or forced to work as slaves; of those who are detained in inhuman conditions, who are subjected to torture or who are denied the opportunity to redeem themselves (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2267), of the victims of forced disappearances and of their families.
My thoughts also go out to all those who live in a climate dominated by suspicion and contempt, which are the subject of acts of intolerance, discrimination and violence because of their racial, ethnic, national or religious affiliations (Speech to participants taking part in the World conference on the theme: Xenophobia, racism and populist nationalization, in the context of world migrations, 20 September 2018).
Finally, I cannot neglect to recall all those who continue to suffer because of multiple violations of their fundamental rights, living in tragic situations of armed conflict, while unscrupulous merchants of death (General Audience, Saint Peter's Square, 11 June 2014) grow steadily richer at the price of their own brothers' and sisters' blood.
In the face of these serious phenomena, we are all called into question. In fact, when fundamental rights are violated, or when they are favoured by some to the detriment of others, or when they are guaranteed only for certain groups, then serious injustices occur, which in turn fuel conflicts with heavy consequences both within individual nations and in the relationships that exist between them.
Each of us is therefore called to contribute with courage and determination, according to the specificity of their role, to promoting respect for the fundamental rights of every person, especially those who are invisible: the many who are hungry and thirsty, those who are naked, sick, foreigners or detained (cf Mt 25:35-36), as well as those who live on the margins of society and those who are discarded by society.
This need for justice and solidarity has a special significance for us Christians, because the Gospel itself invites us to turn our gaze to the little ones who are our brothers and sisters, to move toward compassion (cf Mt 14:14) and to work hard to alleviate their sufferings.
I wish, on this occasion, to address a heartfelt appeal to those with institutional responsibilities, asking them to place human rights at the centre of all their policies, including those including cooperation in development, even when this means going against the current.
With the hope that these days of reflection may awaken consciences and inspire initiatives aimed at protecting and promoting human dignity, I entrust each of you, your families and your peoples to the intercession of Mary Most Holy, Queen of Peace, and I invoke upon all of you the abundance of divine blessings.
From the Vatican
10 December 2018
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