A month after the Assisi Meeting last 24 January, the Holy Father sent a
Letter dated 24 February to all Heads of State and Government of the
world to make known the "Decalogue of Assisi for Peace". In
his Letter the Pope says he observed that "those who took part in
the Assisi Meeting were more than ever motivated by a common conviction:
humanity must choose between love and hatred." Here is a
translation of the Pope's Letter. The "Decalogue of Assisi for
Peace" follows.
To Their Excellencies
Heads of State or Government
A month ago, the Day of Prayer for Peace in the world took place in
Assisi. Today my thoughts turn spontaneously to those responsible for
the social and political life of the countries that were represented
there by the religious authorities of many nations.
The inspired reflections of these men and women, representatives of
different religious confessions, their sincere desire to work for peace,
and their common quest for the true progress of the whole human family,
found a sublime and yet concrete form in the "Decalogue"
proclaimed at the end of this exceptional day.
I have the honour of presenting to Your Excellency the text of this
common agreement, convinced that these ten propositions can inspire the
political and social action of your government.
I observed that those who took part in the Assisi Meeting were more
than ever motivated by a common conviction: humanity must choose between
love and hatred. All of them, feeling that they belong to one and the
same human family, were able to express their aspiration through
these ten points, convinced that if hatred destroys, love, on the
contrary, builds up.
I hope that the spirit and commitment of Assisi will lead all people
of goodwill to seek truth, justice, freedom and love, so that every
human person may enjoy his inalienable
rights and every people, peace. For her part, the Catholic Church,
who trusts and hopes in "the God of love and peace" (II Cor
13,11), will continue to work for loyal dialogue, reciprocal forgiveness
and mutual harmony to clear the way for people in this third millennium.
With gratitude to Your Excellency, for the attention you will be kind
enough to give my Message, I take the present opportunity offered to
assure you of my prayerful best wishes.
From the Vatican, 24 February 2002.
DECALOGUE
1. We commit ourselves to proclaiming our firm conviction that
violence and terrorism are incompatible with the authentic spirit of
religion-, and, as we condemn every recourse to violence and war In the
name of God or of religion, we commit ourselves to doing everything
possible to eliminate the root causes of terrorism.
2. We commit ourselves to educating people to mutual respect and
esteem, in order to help bring about a peaceful and fraternal
coexistence between people of different ethnic groups, cultures and
religions.
3. We commit ourselves to fostering the culture of dialogue, so that
there will be an increase of understanding and mutual trust between
individuals and among peoples, for these are the premise of authentic
peace.
4. We commit ourselves to defending the right of everyone to live a
decent life in accordance with their own cultural identity, and to form
freely a family of his own.
5. We commit ourselves to frank and patient dialogue, refusing to
consider our differences as an insurmountable barrier, but recognizing
instead that to encounter the diversity of others can become an
opportunity for greater reciprocal understanding.
6. We commit ourselves to forgiving one another for past and present
errors and prejudices, and to supporting one another in a common effort
both to overcome selfishness and arrogance, hatred and violence, and to
learn from the past that peace without justice is no true peace.
7. We commit ourselves to taking the side of the poor and the
helpless, to speaking out for those who have no voice and to working
effectively to change these situations, out of the conviction that no
one can be happy alone.
8. We commit ourselves to taking up the cry of those who refuse to be
resigned to violence and evil, and we desire to
make every effort possible to offer the men and women of our time real
hope for justice and peace.
9. We commit ourselves to encouraging all efforts to promote
friendship between peoples, for we are convinced that, in the absence of
solidarity and understanding between peoples, technological progress
exposes the world to a growing risk of destruction and death.
10. We commit ourselves to urging leaders of nations to make every
effort to create and consolidate, on the national and international
levels, a world of solidarity and peace based on justice.
|
