Vatican City (AsiaNews) – ‘Non-Violence: A Style of Politics for Peace’ is the title of the Message for the 50th World Day of Peace, Pope Francis’ fourth, which will be celebrated on 1 January.
The Holy See Press Office made the announcement yesterday, noting that talking about "non-violence" does not only constitute a desire, a “moral rejection of violence, barriers, destructive impulses,” but is also “a realistic political method that gives rise to hope."
In a world situation where "hotbeds of violence" multiply and where – as Pope Francis often put it – a "Third World War in pieces" is taking place, it is important to give space to non-violence as a “political method" and as a " realistic way to overcome armed conflicts, "negotiating "ways of peace even where they seem tortuous and impractical."
"Within such a perspective, the culture and identity of peoples are respected, and the opinion that some are morally superior to others is overcome. At the same time, however, it does not mean that one nation can remain indifferent to the tragedies of another. Rather it means a recognition of the primacy of diplomacy over the noise of arms.”
From “this perspective, it becomes important to increasingly recognize not the right of force but the force of right.”
The message will also touch “Illegal arms trafficking,” which “supports not a few world’s conflicts”. For the pope, "Non-violence as a political style can and must do much to stem this scourge."
