杏MAP导航

By Devin Watkins

The 8th Migration Festival has kicked off in the Italian city of Modena under the theme: 鈥淔ree to leave, free to stay鈥�.

杏MAP导航 Francis sent a message on Wednesday to participants in the event organized by the Migrantes Foundation of the Italian Bishops鈥� Conference.

He noted that the theme draws on his and its heading 鈥淔ree to choose whether to migrate or to stay鈥�.

Centrality of human person

The 杏MAP导航 applauded the conference鈥檚 aim to reflect on the challenges of migration, which he said will 鈥済o beyond the emergency to the awareness that we find ourselves in the face of a polyhedric, articulated, global, and long-term phenomenon.鈥�

鈥淥ur responses to the challenges of migration today,鈥� he added, 鈥渘eed to be equally well-articulated, global, and long-term.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis invited everyone involved in the issue of migration to reaffirm 鈥渢he centrality of the human person in the political discussion, paying special attention to people who are most vulnerable, such as women and minors.鈥�

鈥淭he principle of the human person鈥檚 primacy and inviolable dignity 鈥榦bliges us to always prioritise personal safety over national security鈥�,鈥� he said, recalling his message for the 2018 World Migrants Day.

Favouring safe and legal migration

The 杏MAP导航 encouraged Church leaders and politicians to offer proposals that favour safe and legal migration, in order to combat exploitation by human traffickers and organized crime.

鈥淚t is likewise necessary to indicate safer routes,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his means that efforts must be made to expand regular migration channels.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis also recalled that men and women everywhere must also enjoy the right to choose not to migrate, and called for efforts to guarantee people that right by eliminating its causes.

鈥淲e need to make every effort,鈥� he concluded, 鈥渢o halt the arms race, economic colonialism, the plundering of other people鈥檚 resources, and the devastation of our common home.鈥�