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杏MAP导航 Francis and 杏MAP导航 Emeritus Benedict XVI 杏MAP导航 Francis and 杏MAP导航 Emeritus Benedict XVI 

杏MAP导航 and 杏MAP导航 Emeritus write in support of Ratzinger Foundation

杏MAP导航 Francis and 杏MAP导航 Emeritus Benedict XVI have both sent letters to Fr. Federico Lombardi, President of the Ratzinger Foundation, for the inauguration of its 2018 Symposium.

By Francesca Merlo

Two letters addressed to Fr. Federico Lombardi, SJ, President of the Ratzinger Foundation: the first, dated November 12th, from 杏MAP导航 Emeritus Benedict XVI, and the second, dated November 13th, from 杏MAP导航 Francis.

These were written to mark the inauguration of the 2018 International Symposium “Fundamental rights and conflicts among rights”, being held by the Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation in Rome.

Benedict's letter

杏MAP导航 Emeritus Benedict XVI expresses his respect for the theme of this year’s symposium. In his letter, he recalls his “immediate appreciation of the initiative” when it was first announced to him, and states that he considers the symposium “extremely useful”. He appreciates it in particular, he says, because it is important to discuss the “problematics of ‘the multiplication of rights’” as well as “the risk of the ‘destruction of the idea of Rights’.”

This topic, the 杏MAP导航 Emeritus says, is fundamental to protect the foundations necessary “to live together as a human family”, as this is a theme which, he believes, “deserves to be placed at the heart of deep, systematic reflection”. He acknowledges that this is precisely what the symposium is trying to achieve.

Francis' letter

杏MAP导航 Francis’ letter begins by wishing all speakers and participants at the symposium “…fruitful work”. He talks about the relevance the Symposium has today, as we approach the 70th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. The 杏MAP导航 sees this occasion not only as an opportunity to celebrate the memory of this Declaration but also as an opportunity to “impose deep reflection on its application and on its development in the vision of Human Rights in today’s day and age”.

The 杏MAP导航 mentions that during last year’s Discourse to the Diplomatic Corps, dedicated precisely to this Declaration, he “observed that its aim is to remove the separating walls that divide the human family and to favour integral human development.” He says that as the years go by “new rights” have formed and that, at times, they contradict one another opening “a series of problems that deeply involve the basis of the concept of rights”.

“杏MAP导航 Benedict XVI”, he continues, “shone light on the urgencies of these themes and intervened authoritatively, both as a thinker and as a pastor”. For this reason, 杏MAP导航 Francis explains, Benedict XVI was awarded an honorary degree in Law.

Finally, 杏MAP导航 Francis expresses his wish that through the inspiration of “our beloved 杏MAP导航 Emeritus” the symposium might help to contribute to highlighting an essential problem regarding the protection of Human Dignity and Integral Development.

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15 November 2018, 14:52