“I encourage the leaders of the world to put aside sectorial interests, to seek together the common good of humanity,” was Pope Francis’ Tweet on September 12, 2017 when the 72nd Session opened of the United Nations General Assembly at New York.
The appeal was taken from his September 15, 2015 address at the UN headquarters, given before 193 member countries. “The praiseworthy international juridical construction of the United Nations Organization and all its realizations, perfectible as every human work is, at the same time, necessary; it can be the pledge of a sure and happy future for future generations. And it will be so if the representatives of States are able to put aside sectorial and ideological interests, and seek sincerely the service of the common good.”
During his intervention, the Holy Father stressed: “The world claims from all governments an effective, practical <and> constant will, of concrete steps and immediate measures, to preserve and improve the natural environment and overcome as soon as possible the phenomenon of social and economic exclusion, with its sad consequences of the trafficking of human beings, of the sale of organs and human tissues, the sexual exploitation of children, slave labor, including prostitution, the traffic of drugs and arms, of terrorism and international organized crime.”
He also put on guard against a “twofold danger: limiting oneself to bureaucratic work, consisting of writing long lists of good intentions – ends, objectives and statistical indicators, or believing that a unique, theoretical a priori solution will give an answer to all the challenges.”
The Pontiff also stressed the need to involve the populations. “Integral human development and the full exercise of human dignity cannot be imposed. They must be built and deployed by each one, by each family, in communion with other men, and in a just relation with all the circles where human society develops – friends, communities, villages and communes, schools, businesses and labor unions, provinces and nations, among others.”
