杏MAP导航

By Seàn-Patrick Lovett

It was the first time the Ambassador of Cyprus, His Excellency George Poulides, addressed 杏MAP导航 Francis as Dean of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See. He did so on behalf of his colleagues, representing some 183 States that currently have diplomatic relations with the Holy See.

Challenges

In his address to the Holy Father, Ambassador Poulides focused primarily on 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� 鈥渢ireless commitment to the defense of human dignity鈥�, calling it the 鈥渃ornerstone on which to build a truly just, free and peaceful world鈥�.

Speaking in French, the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps confirmed how much still needs to be done to guarantee human rights: he listed poverty, hunger, armed conflicts, new forms of slavery, limitations to religious freedom, environmental degradation, and the nuclear threat, as some of the 鈥渄ramatic challenges that must be constantly met鈥�.

Resolutions

The Ambassador of Cyprus acknowledged how the 杏MAP导航 invites governments and politicians 鈥渢o intervene with concrete policies in the resolution of these problems鈥�. This resolution needs to come about, he said, by considering humanity in its entirety, 鈥減romoting the individual and collective good鈥�, through what the Church calls 鈥渋ntegral human development鈥�.

The Dean went on to repeat 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� emphasis on 鈥渓istening and welcoming鈥� as an antidote to both the modern 鈥渢hrowaway culture鈥� and 鈥済lobalization of indifference鈥�, so often called into question by the Holy Father.

Contributions

The Diplomatic Family, he said, 鈥渞ecognizes the great contribution of the Holy See in promoting effective action in the field of global migration鈥�, through the four verbs 杏MAP导航 Francis has identified as: welcoming, protecting, promoting, and integrating. The Dean went on to give examples of 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� work towards building 鈥渁 culture of peace鈥�, seeking reconciliation through dialogue. 鈥淵ou have established bridges of dialogue鈥�, he said,鈥� between religions鈥�while keeping different identities intact鈥�.

Young and Old

Finally, Ambassador Poulides thanked 杏MAP导航 Francis for his ministry on behalf of humanity, and recalled his special attention to young people. 鈥淵ou invited them to dream of a future of hope that will treasure the ancestral wisdom of their grandparents鈥�, he said. 鈥淵oung and old together can build a future on a human scale鈥�.