2023-07-03 18:20:00
July 3, 2023 / 11:20 a.m.
Pope Francis indicated that the lack of food is a “serious affront to human dignity” in his message to the participants in the 43rd session of the Conference of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
“Poverty, inequalities, lack of access to basic resources such as food, drinking water, health, education, housing, are a serious affront to human dignity!” wrote the Holy Father.
The Pope’s message was read this Monday, July 3, by Monsignor Fernando Chica Arellano, Permanent Observer of the Holy See in the United Nations organizations and agencies for food and agriculture (FAO, IFAD and PAM).
“Millions of people continue to suffer misery and malnutrition in the world, due to armed conflicts, as well as climate change and the resulting natural disasters,” the Pope said.
“Mass displacements, added to the other effects of political, economic and military tensions on a planetary scale, weaken the efforts that are made to guarantee an improvement in the living conditions of people because of their intrinsic dignity,” he added. .
No to ideological colonization
The Holy Father also warned that “many experts affirm that the goal of Zero Hunger will not be achieved within the time frame set by the international community.”
“But,” he continued, “let me say that the inability to meet common responsibilities should not lead us to convert initial intentions into new revised programs that, instead of benefiting people by responding to their real needs, do not take them into account.”
On the contrary, Pope Francis indicated that “we must be very careful and respectful of local communities, with cultural diversity and traditional specificities, which cannot be altered or destroyed in the name of a myopic idea of progress that, in reality, runs the risk of becoming synonymous with “ideological colonization”.
And he warned: “Interventions and projects must be planned and executed by meeting the clamor of people and their communities; They cannot be imposed from above or from instances that only seek their own interest or profit”.
Preventive measures for the benefit of all
According to Pope Francis, a “joint and collaborative action of the entire family of nations” is needed to end world hunger.
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“There can be no room for conflict or opposition, when the enormous challenges at hand require a holistic and multilateral approach,” he said.
Therefore, he urged international organizations to “coordinate preventive and incisive measures for the benefit of all, especially the poorest.”
“Governments, companies, academia, international institutions, civil society and individuals must make a joint effort, putting aside petty logic and biased visions, so that everyone benefits and no one is left behind,” he added.
The contribution of the Catholic Church
Finally, Pope Francis assured that “the Holy See” and “institutions linked to the Catholic Church” will continue to support all necessary work so that “no one in our world lacks daily bread.”
In addition, the Holy Father offered the contribution of the Church and its institutions so that “our planet is granted the protection it requires, so that it may once again be the beautiful garden that came out of the hands of the Creator for the delight of the human being.”
“May Almighty God abundantly bless your work and efforts, for the sake of the true progress of the entire human family,” he concluded.
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