Pope Francis said in a message Saturday that others should be treated with dignity and respect, not as objects to exploit or throw away.
Pope Francis emphasized the importance of treating others with dignity and respect, rather than as objects to exploit or discard. Although unable to attend in person due to his recent hospitalization, the pope’s words were conveyed at a live-streamed event on human fraternity held in St. Peter’s Square on June 10, organized by the Fratelli Tutti Foundation.
“Even though I am unable to greet you in person, I would like to welcome and thank you wholeheartedly for coming,” Francis said in the message, read by Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica and president of the Fratelli Tutti Foundation.
“In the encyclical Fratelli tutti,” the pope said, “I wrote: ‘Fraternity necessarily calls for something greater, which in turn enhances freedom and equality,’ since the one who sees the other as a brother or sister sees in him or her a face, not a number.”
“The other is always ‘someone’ who has dignity and merits respect, and not ‘something’ to be used, exploited or thrown away,” he added.
The central focus of the June 10 event, titled “#Not Alone,” revolved around the signing of a declaration on human fraternity, jointly drafted by a group of Nobel Peace Prize laureates and representatives from past Nobel Prize-winning organizations. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the secretary of state, signed the document on behalf of Pope Francis.
The declaration stressed the significance of authentic reconciliation, emphasizing that it does not shy away from conflict but instead addresses it through dialogue, open negotiation, and patience, all within the framework of human rights. The signing of the document was followed by a symbolic gesture, as young people from various countries joined hands in a ring surrounding St. Peter’s Square, symbolizing unity and solidarity.
The six-hour event encompassed speeches, testimonials, performances by renowned Italian musicians like Grammy-winner Andrea Bocelli, and displays by circus artists. Among the Nobel laureates present were Nadia Murad, an advocate for human rights in Iraq; Denis Mukwege, a Congolese gynaecologist; and Tawakkol Karman, a leader of Yemen’s Arab Spring.
Former presidents from Colombia, Costa Rica, Poland, and the Democratic Republic of East Timor, all Nobel Peace Prize recipients, participated in the event. Representatives from various U.N. organizations, previously honoured with Nobel Prizes, were also in attendance.
“In our world torn apart by violence and war, tweaks and adjustments are not enough,” Pope Francis said in his message. “Only a great spiritual and social covenant born from the heart and centered on fraternity can restore the sacredness and inviolability of human dignity as the core of relationships.”
“This does not require theories on fraternity but concrete gestures and shared decisions that make it a culture of peace,” he continued. “The question to ask ourselves is not what society and the world can give me, but what can I give to my brothers and sisters.”
“When we return home, let us think of some concrete gesture of fraternity that we can make: reconciling with family members, friends and neighbors, praying for those who hurt us, recognizing and helping those in need, speaking words of peace at school, university or in society, ‘anointing’ with closeness those who feel alone,” he said.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from CNA