Pope: Protecting and saving lives of migrants utmost priority
By Linda Bordoni
In a message to the Global Refugee Forum taking place in Geneva, Pope Francis underscored the fact that it is a shared responsibility to resolve the plight of refugees and highlighted a series of signs of hope that speak of solidarity, welcome and cooperation.
His message, read on his behalf by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, was addressed to the worldâs largest international gathering on refugees. Itâs a Forum designed to support the practical implementation of the objectives set out in the .
Signs of hope
The Pope mentioned signs of hope that he encounters every day listing countries and host communities that keep borders and their hearts open to welcome refugees; those who continue to save lives at sea, and the solidarity offered in reception centres.
He also upheld the hope of migrants âwho want to change their lives and contribute to the societies to which they move; and each of us who still consider cooperation as the key solution to global problems.â
Free to choose
Reiterating the right of every person to choose whether or not to migrate, the Pope said âEveryone should have the opportunity to live a dignified life in their own country.â
He decried what he sees as âa certain regressionâ in this regard noting that âToday, nearly 114 million people are forcibly displaced, many internally, due to conflicts, violence and persecution, including on the basis of religious beliefs, as well as the effects of climate change.â
Inadequate global responses
The Pope noted that the reasons for migration have grown increasingly complex, âyet our responses have not adequately addressed these emerging and pressing challenges.â
âAs a result, we continue to mourn the countless lives lost on land and at sea while seeking protection or fleeing from a hopeless future,â he said.
Protecting and saving human lives
The Holy Father reiterated his firm belief that âProtecting and saving human lives must remain our utmost priority.â
In a world overwhelmed with an abundance of news and statistics, he continued, âWe often forget that behind these numbers there are human faces, each with their own story and suffering.â
âEach number represents one of our fellow brothers and sisters who are in need of help,â he said.
âNoâ to risky repatriations
Referring to âthe principle of safe and voluntary repatriation of those who are forced to flee must be strictly adhered toâ, Pope Francis said, âNo one should be repatriated to a country where they could face severe human rights violations or even death.â
Conversely, âwe are all called to create communities that are ready and open to welcome, promote, accompany and integrate those who knock on our doors.â.
To this end, he continued, âWe must acknowledge that being a refugee should not be a mere granting of a status, but a recognition of a full God-given human dignity.â
âAs members of the same human family, each individual deserves a place to call home. That means having food, access to healthcare and education, and dignified work,â he said.
It also means, he continued, having a place where one is âunderstood and included, loved and cared for,â in which one can participate and contribute.
Persons with rights and duties
Upholding the fact that refugees are âpersons with rights and duties, not just objects of assistance,â the Pope said they should not be âdenied a new startâ and they should be allowed to use their talents and skills as a resource for the host communities.
âOnly by including refugees as a part of the solution can they flourish as human beings and sow their seeds in the place where they live,â he said.
Crucial moment
Pope Francis concluded noting that we stand at a crucial moment and are called to choose âeither the culture of humanity and fraternity, or the culture of indifference.â
The decision is vital, he said, as âhistory is challenging us to make a leap of conscience in order to prevent the shipwreck of civilization,â and expressed his hope that this Global Forum will set an example of a multilateralism that is relevant to our times.
âIt is thus my sincere hope that this Forum will work to revive both the âspiritâ and the âvisionâ of the 1951 Refugee Convention, â he said, âwhile at the same time seizing the opportunity to reaffirm the principles of fraternity, solidarity and non-refoulement through greater international cooperation and burden-sharing, thereby
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