On October 5, the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the UN, gave an intervention before the Third Committee General of the Seventy-First Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Agenda Item 26 (a,b), dedicated to “Social Development (Youth, Ageing, etc.).”   

In its statement, the Holy See noted that as people across the world are as a whole becoming healthier, more educated and better connected, social and economic inequalities are increasing, especially in areas of conflict, political and ethnic strife. It reiterated Pope Francis’ appeal for political leaders to ensure that individuals and communities can enjoy the fundamental right to live in peace and security. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, if achieved with full respect for the dignity of every human life, will reverse the trend of rising inequalities and lay the foundation for peaceful societies. With regard to the crisis of refugees and forced migrants, the Holy See recalled as a best practice Pope Francis’ application of the Golden Rule, that if we want security, we need to give security. The New York Declaration on Refugees and Migrants is a hopeful sign, but will require greater political will, cooperation and solidarity to implement. The challenges required in welcoming refugees and migrants, it said, provide the opportunity for genuine human, social and spiritual growth.

The statement can be found here.