SAO PAULO, JUNE 22, 2004 (Zenit.org).- The Holy See called on the international community to make greater efforts to eliminate poverty as a means to increase social cohesion.
Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, representing the Holy See, made the appeal at the 11th session of the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, from June 13-18.
This organization, of which the Holy See is a member, studies international commercial and financial relations and guides countries and international organizations in formulating just economic policies which respect the human being, the Vatican Information Service reported.
Archbishop Tomasi said the UNCTAD «remains a valid instrument to achieve its initial aspirations and to promote development and dialogue between developed and developing countries.»
«The elimination of poverty increases social cohesion and becomes a means for sustainable growth,» he said.
The archbishop continued: «To this effect we must forcefully stress the importance of ‘poverty education’ as a common goal, and the road to achieve it passes through the strengthening of national markets and, above all, through investment in the development of human resources and through improving the capacity to participate in the opportunities offered by economic integration to the active population at first and then to the whole community.»
The Holy See’s delegate emphasized that «the sole goal of development is not to make persons ‘more productive’ but rather to guarantee their dignity and improve their capacity to act freely.»
