COVID: THROUGH A COMMON EVIL WE REDISCOVER THE COMMON GOOD - - es - it

Pope Francis is certain of this and is repeating it to everyone: we will emerge either better or worse after the pandemic The global crisis requires that the parameters of human co-existence be rethought through the lens of solidarity. Based on this foundational idea, the "Covid-19: Building a Healthier Future" has been created in collaboration with the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, to offer a vision that might lead to the beginning of a new fraternity after the pandemic.

Healthcare, education, security – these are the linchpins of any nation which should not be subject to making a profit. Economist Luigino Bruni, one of the experts Pope Francis called to be part of the Vatican Covid-19 Commission, is convinced that the lesson of the pandemic will help us rediscover the profound truth connected with the expression "common good". This is so because, as he believes, everything is fundamentally a common good: politics in its true sense, the economy which looks to humanity before seeking to make a profit. In this new global vision that can be born after the pandemic, the Church, he states, must make itself a "guarantor" of this collective patrimony, in so far as it is lies outside the logic of commerce. Bruni's hope is that this experience, conditioned by a virus that has no boundaries, will help us not forget "the importance of human cooperation and global solidarity".

You are part of the Vatican COVID 19 Commission, Pope Francis’ response mechanism to an unprecedented virus. What do you personally hope to learn from this experience? In what way do you think society as a whole can be inspired by the work of the Commission?

R. – The most important thing I have learned from this experience is the importance of the principle of precaution for the common good. Absent for the most part in the initial phase of the epidemic, the principle of precaution, one of the pillars of the Church’s social doctrine, tells us something extremely important. The principle of precaution is lived obsessively on the individual level (it’s enough to think of the insurance companies which seem to be taking over the world), but is completely absent on the collective level, and thus makes 21st century society extremely vulnerable. This is why those countries which have preserved a bit of a welfare state have demonstrated themselves a lot stronger than those governed entirely by the market And then the common good: since a common evil has revealed to us what the common good is, so has the pandemic forced us to see that the common good requires community, and not only the market. Health, safety, and education cannot be left to the game of profit.

Pope Francis asked the COVID 19 Commission to prepare the future instead of prepare for it. What should be the role of the Catholic Church as an institution in this endeavor?

R. – The Catholic Church is one of the few (if not the only) institution that guarantees and safeguards the global common good. Having no private interests, it can pursue the good of all. It is because of this that she has a vast hearing. For the same reason, she has a responsibility to exercise it on a global scale.

What personal lessons (if any) have you derived from the experience of the pandemic? What concrete changes do you hope to see after this crisis both personally and globally?

R. – The first lesson is the value of relational goods. Not being able to exchange hugs in these months, I have rediscovered the value of an embrace and of contact. Secondly, we can and must have many online meetings and working remotely, but for important decisions and for decisive meetings, the internet does not suffice. Physical presence is necessary. So, the virtual boom is making us discover the importance of flesh and blood contact and the intelligence of the human body. I hope that we do not forget the lessons learned in these months (because people forget very quickly), in particular the importance of politics as we have rediscovered in these months (as the art of the common good against a common evil), and that we do not forget the importance of human cooperation and global solidarity.

Preparing for the post-Covid world includes forming future generations, who will be forced to make decisions that forge new paths. In this sense, can education be considered only as a “cost” to reduce, even in times of crisis?

R. – Education, above all that of children and young people, is much more than an “expense”… It is a collective investment with the highest rate of social return. I hope that in those countries where schools are still closed, a national holiday will be designated when they are reopened. Democracy begins at the school desk and there it is born again in each generation. The first heritage (patres munus) that we pass on through the generations is that of education.

Tens of millions of children around the world do not have access to education. Can article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights be ignored, which affirms that everyone has the right to free and mandatory education, at least regarding elementary education?

R. – Clearly this must not be ignored, but we cannot ask that the cost of education be entirely sustained by countries without sufficient resources. We must quickly give life to a new international cooperation under the slogan: “educating children and adolescents is a global common good”, where countries with more resources help those will fewer resources so that the right to free education becomes real. This pandemic has shown us that the world is a large community. We must transform this common evil into new common, global goods.

Educational budgets have undergone sometimes drastic cuts even in rich countries. Could there really be a desire not to invest in future generations?

R. – If economic logic takes over, reasoning such as this will increase: “Why should I do something for future generations? What have they done for me?” If do ut des ‘(I’ll give something only if I get something out of it), the commercial mantra, becomes the new logic of nations, we will always invest less in education, and we will always create more debt which today’s children will pay off. We must become generous once again and cultivate non-economic virtues such as compassion, meekness, and generosity.

Though it finds itself in economic difficulty, the Catholic Church is on the front lines offering education to the poorest. As we’ve seen during this pandemic, lockdowns have had a considerable impact on Catholic schools. But the Church continues to welcome everyone, without distinctions based on creed, making space for encounter and dialogue. How important is this aspect?

R. – The Church has always been an institution for the common good. Luke’s parable does not tells us about the faith of the half-dead man who the Good Samaritan assisted. It is precisely during the gravest crises that the Church rediscovers her vocation as Mater et magister (Mother and teacher), that the esteem of non-Christians grows toward her, that the sea that gathers everything in, then gives everything to everyone, above all to the poorest. The Church has always known, after all, that the indicator of every common good is the condition of the poorest.

What contribution can education about religion and religions offer young people, especially in a world increasingly driven by divisions and which fosters the engagement of fear and tension?

R. – That depends on how they are taught. The ethical dimension which exists in every religion is not enough. The main teaching that religions can offer today regards the interior life and spirituality, because our generation, in the space of just a few decades, has squandered a thousand-year-old heritage which contained ancient wisdom and popular piety. The world’s religions must help the young and everyone else to rewrite a new “grammar” of the interior life. If they do not do that, depression will become the plague of the 21st century.

 

Covid: Un mal común para redescubrir el bien común 

COVID, UN MALE COMUNE PER RISCOPRIRE IL BENE COMUNE

http://www.humandevelopment.va/it/vatican-covid-19.html

Vatican News

 

 

UNESCO - PANDEMIC AND EDUCATION

 Children in poorest countries lost nearly four months of schooling since start of pandemic – UNESCO, UNICEF and World Bank report finds

 Francais - Espanol

New joint report looks at national education responses to COVID-19 including lost learning; remote learning support for students, parents and teachers; school reopening plans; health protocols; and financing

Paris/New York/Washington D.C. 29 October – Schoolchildren in low-and lower-middle-income countries have already lost nearly four months of schooling since the start of the pandemic, compared to six weeks of loss in high-income countries, according to a new report published today by UNESCO, UNICEF and the World Bank. 

The pandemic will notch up the funding gap for education in low and middle-income countries. By making the right investment choices now, rather than waiting, this gap could be significantly reduced. 

Stefania Giannini, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education

“The pandemic will notch up the funding gap for education in low and middle-income countries. By making the right investment choices now, rather than waiting, this gap could be significantly reduced,” said Stefania Giannini, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education. “At the Global Education Meeting convened by UNESCO with Ghana, Norway and the UK on 22 October , some 15 heads of state and government, close to 70 education ministers and development partners committed to protect education funding and act to safely reopen schools, support all teachers as frontline workers and narrow the digital divide. This holds us all to account,” she concluded.

“We don’t need to look far to see the devastation the pandemic has caused to children’s learning across the world. In low- and lower middle income countries, this devastation is magnified as limited access to remote learning, increased risks of budget cuts and delayed plans in reopening have thwarted any chance of normalcy for schoolchildren,” said Robert Jenkins UNICEF Chief of Education. “Prioritizing reopening schools and providing much-needed catch-up classes is critical.”

Prioritizing reopening schools and providing much-needed catch-up classes is critical.

Robert Jenkins UNICEF Chief of Education

The report compiles findings from surveys on national education responses to COVID-19 collected by UNESCO and carried out in nearly 150 countries between June and October through funding provided by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) as part of their accelerated funding response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Schoolchildren in low- and lower-middle income countries were the least likely to access remote learning, the least likely to be monitored on their learning loss, the most likely to have delays to their schools reopening and the most likely to attend schools with inadequate resources to ensure safe operations, the report finds.

·         More than two-thirds of countries have fully or partially reopened their schools. However, 1 in 4 have missed their planned reopening date or not yet set a date for reopening, most of which are low- and lower-middle-income countries.

·         Only 1 in 5 low-income countries reported that remote learnings days count as official school days, recognizing the low-impact of remote learning measures, compared to three-quarters of countries globally.

·         Of 79 countries which responded to questions related to financing, nearly 20 per cent have either already experienced or anticipate decreases to their country’s education budget for the current or next fiscal year. This compares to nearly 40 per cent among low- and lower-middle-income countries.

·         While most countries reported that student learning is being monitored by teachers, a quarter of low- and lower-middle-income countries are not tracking children’s learning.

·         Half of respondents in low-income countries reported not having adequate funds for safety measures such as handwashing facilities, social distancing measures and protective equipment for students and teachers, compared to 5 per cent of high-income countries.

·         More than 90 per cent of countries have also taken measures to support schoolchildren at risk of being excluded from distance learning, most commonly learners with disabilities. However, 1 in 3 of low-income countries were not introducing any measures to support access or inclusion for those at risk of exclusion.

·         More than 90 per cent of high- and upper-middle-income respondents required teachers to continue teaching during school closures, compared to less than 40 per cent of low-income country respondents.

Other findings include:

·         Almost all countries included remote learning in their education response, in the form of online platforms, TV and radio programmes and take-home packages. 

·         9 in 10 countries facilitated access to online learning, most frequently through mobile phones or offering internet access at subsidized or no cost, but the coverage of this access was extremely varied.

·         6 in 10 countries provided materials to help guide parents in home-based learning, while 4 in 10 countries provided psychosocial counselling to children and caregivers during school closures.  These efforts were more common among high-income countries and in environments where resources were already available.

·         More than two-thirds of countries have fully or partially reopened their schools. Around 1 in 4, however, had missed a planned reopening date or not set a date for reopening.

Even before the pandemic, children’s learning was in crisis. Half of 10-year-olds in middle- and low-income countries couldn’t understand a simple written sentence. According to UNESCO, more than a quarter of a billion children were already out of school, a number likely to increase by at least 24 million as a result of the pandemic. Schoolchildren today currently stand to lose $10 trillion in earnings over their working lifetime, equal to 10 per cent of global GDP.

Despite widespread efforts, there are large differences in countries’ capacity to provide children and youth with effective learning.

Jaime Saavedra, World Bank Global Director for Education

“Despite widespread efforts, there are large differences in countries’ capacity to provide children and youth with effective learning. And there are probably even wider differences within countries in the educational stimulation children and youth have experienced. We were worried about learning poverty before the pandemic and also about the inequality in learning opportunities. Now the learning baseline is lower, but the increase in inequality of opportunities could be catastrophic. The task of reigniting the learning process is extremely urgent,” said Jaime Saavedra, World Bank Global Director for Education.

 

EUROPE, FIND YOURSELF! - EUROPE, TROUVE-TOI ! - EUROPA, ¡ENCUÉNTRATE A TI MISMO! - EUROPA, FINDE DICH SELBST!

Pope Francis dreams of a Europe of solidarity and respect for all peoples

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In a letter to the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Pope Francis retraces the history and values of the European continent and expresses his desire for fraternity and solidarity among nations amid a period marked by individualistic tendencies.

 

By Vatican News staff writer

 

Pope Francis, in a letter to Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, shares his visions of a Europe of the future, marked with solidarity, friendship and unity, and true to the spirit of the continent’s founding fathers. The Pope’s letter comes as the Holy See and the Church in Europe celebrate three anniversaries this year. First, the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the then-European Community and the Holy See, by its presence as an Observer at the Council of Europe. Second, the founding of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Communities (COMECE), forty years ago. Third, this year also marks the seventieth anniversary of the Schuman Declaration which inspired the continent’s gradual process of reintegration after the two world wars. In light of these notable occasions, Cardinal Parolin is to make significant visits to EU authorities, the Plenary Assembly of the COMECE and the authorities of the Council of Europe in the near future.

The European Project

In his letter released on Tuesday, Pope Francis highlighted that the European project, born of the realization that “unity is greater than conflict” and solidarity can be “a way of making history”, has began to “show signs of a certain regression” in our days. The Covid-19 pandemic, the Pope noted, “has emerged as a kind of watershed, forcing us to take a stand.” We can continue to go at it alone, “seeking unilateral solutions to a problem that transcends state borders” or rediscover the path of fraternity that inspired and guided the founders of modern Europe, beginning with Robert Schuman.

Europe, find yourself!

Pointing out that an age of rapid change can bring with it “a loss of identity, especially when there is a lack of shared values,” Pope Francis urged the continent, re-echoing the words of Pope Saint John Paul II in the Santiago de Compostela, saying: “find yourself, be yourself.” He called on the continent not to look back at its past “as an album of memories”, but rather to rediscover its “most deeply-rooted ideals.” “Be yourself! Do not be afraid of your millenary history, which is a window open to the future more than the past. Do not be afraid of that thirst of yours for truth, which, from the days of ancient Greece, has spread throughout the world and brought to light the deepest questions of every human being. Do not be afraid of the thirst for justice that developed from Roman law and in time became respect for all human beings and their rights. Do not be afraid of your thirst for eternity, enriched by the encounter with the Judeo-Christian tradition reflected in your patrimony of faith, art and culture,” the Pope said.

Europe of the future

Reflecting on the kind of Europe we envision for the future and its distinctive contribution to the world, Pope Francis laid out four images. First, a “Europe that is a friend to each and all.” Pope Francis said he envisions a land “respectful of everyone’s dignity, in which each person is appreciated for his or her intrinsic worth” – not from an economic standpoint or as a mere consumer. A continent that protects life at every stage, from conception until its natural end, as well as a land that promotes work as a means of personal growth and the creation of employment opportunities. Pope Francis’ second dream is of a “Europe that is a family and a community.” The Pope said he aspires for a land respectful of the “distinctiveness of each individual and every people”, which becomes a “genuine family of peoples, all different yet linked by a common history and destiny.” The Pope also dreams of an “inclusive and generous” Europe which is “welcoming and hospitable,” and where charity – the highest Christian virtue - overcomes every form of selfishness and indifference. Here, solidarity, which demands that we care for one another, will lead us towards “guiding those most vulnerable towards personal and social growth.” 

As solidarity also involves “being a neighbor to others,” it will mean for Europe to be willing, “through international cooperation to offer generous assistance to other continents” including Africa where “there is a need to resolve conflicts and to pursue a sustainable human development.” The Pope also urged Europe to meet the present challenge of migrants, enabling them “to learn, respect and assimilate the culture and traditions of the nations that welcome them.” Pope Francis’ fourth dream is of a Europe marked by a healthy secularism “where God and Caesar remain distinct but not opposed.” The Holy Father said he thinks of a land where believers are free to profess their faith in public and to put forward their points of view in society.

Christians have a task

“Christians today have a great responsibility,” said Pope Francis. “They are called to serve as a leaven in reviving Europe’s conscience and help generate processes capable of awakening new energies in society.” The Holy Father, therefore, enjoined all believers to “contribute with commitment, courage and determination to every sector in which they live and work.” Concluding, Pope Francis entrusted Europe to the protection of her patrons: Saints Benedict, Cyril and Methodius, Bridget, Catherine, and Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.

 Vatican News

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ENSEIGNER ET FORMER L’HOMME AUTREMENT

 ENSEIGNER ET FORMER L’HOMME AUTREMENT : 

UN DÉFI POUR L’ECOPO-LUBUMBASHI (R.D. CONGO)

DISCOURS ACADEMIQUE DU PROFESSEUR EMMANUEL M. BANYWESIZE, DIRECTEUR GÉNÉRAL DE L’ÉCOLE SUPÉRIEURE DE LA GOUVERNANCE ÉCONOMIQUE ET POLITIQUE, PRONONCÉ À LUBUMBASHI, LE 24 OCTOBRE 2020

Excellences, Honorables, Révérend Père Provincial, Révérends Pères et Révérendes Sœurs, Mesdames et Messieurs, Distingués invités, Étudiantes et étudiants, Le rituel académique en République démocratique du Congo veut que le Recteur ou le Directeur général prononce un discours académique au cours de la cérémonie de proclamation des résultats des étudiants et de collation des grades académiques. Je vais donc m’y soumettre, en intitulant mon discours : Enseigner et former l’homme autrement : un défi pour l’EcoPo-Lubumbashi.

Je privilégierai une démarche articulée sur la sociologie du présent qui se veut phénoménologique, c’est-à-dire consacrée à la compréhension d’événements ou de faits tels qu’ils apparaissent, se succèdent et affectent les humains dans le monde jamais figé mais toujours dynamique, confronté aux multiples défis.

L’un des défis majeurs auxquels les humains et les sociétés sont confrontés en ces temps des crises et menaces globales, dont celle de la pandémie de Covid-19, c’est (sur)vivre ensemble grâce à la politique de l’humain qui s’instruit des changements dans le monde. Les changements majeurs sont souvent provoqués par des facteurs tels la guerre, la crise économique, le réchauffement climatique, les pandémies et les surgissements des mouvements sociaux sous forme des foules dans l’espace public.

Aucune société n’y échappe et, ce faisant, toutes les sociétés sont confrontées au même défi : celui qui consiste à se réinventer pour perdurer dans le temps et garantir à ses populations un avenir meilleur qui se décline en termes d’une vie bonne purgée des violences, de misère et d’indigence matérielle et d’indignité. La réinvention sociale n’est possible que si l’éducation des citoyens est placée au cœur de la politique approchée dans son sens étymologique, à savoir : prise en charge commune de la polis, cité qui rassemble les humains sous le règne des lois édictées en vue de l’intérêt général. La politique ainsi entendue, porte une autre idée : celle de politeia, citoyenneté qui renvoie à la …..

Voir: ENSEIGNER ET FORMER L'HOMME

CAMEROUN- IAPDA - RAPPORT 2020

L’IAPDA Cameroun est   très heureux de vous partager son rapport d’activité, relative à ses activités à l’occasion de la journée internationale de la paix 2020 :  

• 3eme formation de 30 volontaires communautaires de la paix,   
• Programme arbre de paix «  planting de 500 arbres d’espoirs – rue de la paix 2020 »  
  
  
  Nos remerciements sincères à ceux nous ont soutenus et nous sollicitons une fois de plus votre expertise pour rehausser le niveau de formation de ces volontaires communautaires de la paix que nous formons.   La communauté en a besoin. 
  
  

      LONGUE VIE À LA PAIX DANS LLE MONDE  

Rapport IAPDA

POPE FRANCIS: APPEAL FOR PEACE - APPEL À LA PAIX - LLAMAMIENTO A LA PAZ

         INTERNATIONAL                       MEETING

 OF PRAYER FOR PEACE:

"NO ONE IS SAVED ALONE. PEACE AND FRATERNITY"

APPEAL FOR PEACE

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Gathered in Rome, in “the spirit of Assisi”, and spiritually united to believers worldwide and to all men and women of good will, we have prayed alongside one another to invoke upon our world the gift of peace. We have called to mind the wounds of humanity, we are united with the silent prayers of so many of our suffering brothers and sisters, all too often nameless and unheard. We now solemnly commit ourselves to make our own and to propose to the leaders of nations and the citizens of the world this Appeal for Peace.

On this Capitoline Hill, in the wake of the greatest conflict in history, the nations that had been at war made a pact based on a dream of unity that later came true: the dream of a united Europe. Today, in these uncertain times, as we feel the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic that threatens peace by aggravating inequalities and fear, we firmly state that no one can be saved alone: no people, no single individual!

Wars and peace, pandemics and health care, hunger and access to food, global warming and sustainable development, the displacement of populations, the elimination of nuclear threats and the reduction of inequalities: these are not matters that concern individual nations alone. We understand this better nowadays, in a world that is amply connected, yet often lacks a sense of fraternity. All of us are brothers and sisters! Let us pray to the Most High that, after this time of trial, there may no longer be “others”, but rather, a great “we”, rich in diversity. The time has come to boldly dream anew that peace is possible, that it is necessary, that a world without war is not utopian. This is why we want to say once more: “No more war”!

Tragically, for many, war once again seems to be one possible means of resolving international disputes. It is not. Before it is too late, we would remind everyone that war always leaves the world worse than it was. War is a failure of politics and of humanity.

We appeal to government leaders to reject the language of division, often based on fear and mistrust, and to avoid embarking on paths of no return. Together let us look at the victims. All too many conflicts are presently in course.

To leaders of nations we say: let us work together to create a new architecture of peace. Let us join forces to promote life, health, education and peace. The time has come to divert the resources employed in producing ever more destructive and deadly weapons to choosing life and to caring for humanity and our common home. Let us waste no time! Let us start with achievable goals: may we immediately unite our efforts to contain the spread of the virus until there is a vaccine that is suitable and available to all. The pandemic is reminding us that we are blood brothers and sisters.

To all believers, and to men and women of good will, we say: let us become creative artisans of peace, let us build social friendship, let us make our own the culture of dialogue. Honest, persistent and courageous dialogue is the antidote to distrust, division and violence. Dialogue dismantles at the outset the arguments for wars that destroy the fraternity to which our human family is called.

No one can feel exempted from this. All of us have a shared responsibility. All of us need to forgive and to be forgiven. The injustices of the world and of history are not healed by hatred and revenge, but by dialogue and forgiveness.

May God inspire in us a commitment to these ideals and to the journey that we are making together. May he touch every heart and make us heralds of peace.

 

Rome, Capitoline Hill, 20 October 2020

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http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2020/documents/papa-francesco_20201020_omelia-pace.html

 

 

 

RD CONGO . ANIME' PAR L'ESPERANCE

 

TUENDELEE-LUBUMBASHI-AFC RD CONGO: 

Le 18 Octobre 2020, journée de la mission mondaile, la Pastorale Salsienne des Jeunes a lancé ses activités pastorales pour l'année 2020-2021, c'était une occasion de former les jeunes sur l'Espérance et la Sainteté en prenant le modèle du Bienheureux Carlo Acutis tout en répondant à l'appel de Dieu les jeunes ont vécu cette journée avec le thème: "Animé par l'espérance, jeune, prépare-toi à rencontrer ton Dieu. " 

 Dans cette joie salésienne, 1300 jeunes ont répondu à cet appel pastoral, la messe a été présidée par le P. Albert Kabuge. 

A la fin de la messe tous les jeunes ont été envoyés en mission pour annoncer la Bonne Nouvelle dans leurs milieux selon le style du Bienheureux Carlo Acutis. 

POPE: GLOBAL COMPACT ON EDUCATION - MESSAGE - AR - DE - EN - ES - FR - IT - PT

Pope: Global Compact on Education bears in itself 'a seed of hope'

Pope Francis relaunches the Global Compact on Education on Thursday with a video message during a virtual event at Rome’s Pontifical Lateran University.

 By Robin Gomes

 Pope Francis on Thursday appealed to every sector of society across the globe to subscribe to and support the Global Compact on Education. The initiative promotes the values of care for others, peace, justice, goodness, beauty, acceptance, and fraternity in order to build 

The Pope made the appeal in a video message at the relaunch of the Global Compact on Education during a virtual event on Thursday at Rome’s Pontifical Lateran University.  Education - a seed of hope

The Compact, sponsored by the Congregation for Catholic Education, is meant to encourage change on a global scale, so that education may become a creator of fraternity, peace, and justice. According to the Pope, the pact is “to ensure that everyone has access to a quality education consonant with the dignity of the human person and our common vocation to fraternity.” “May we be sustained by the conviction that education bears within itself a seed of hope: the hope of peace and justice; the hope of beauty and goodness; the hope of social harmony,” the Pope said in his message. “We must move forward, all of us together, each as we are, but always looking ahead to the building of a civilization of harmony and unity, in which there will be no room for the terrible pandemic of the throw-away culture.” Joining him at the virtual relaunch of the education pact were the Director-General of the Paris-based United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Audrey Azoulay, representatives of the Vatican Congregation for Catholic Education, and representatives of a few Italian universities.  In his message, the Pope drew attention to the adverse effects of the Covid-19 crisis on educational systems worldwide. Online educational platforms, he noted, have brought to light a marked disparity in educational and technological opportunities, forcing some ten million children to leave school, apart from the already over 250 million school-age children excluded from all educational activities.

Hope grounded in solidarity

In this situation, the Pope called for a new cultural and development model that respects and protects human dignity, while creating a global interdependence to bring communities and peoples together to care for our common home and to foster peace. “Education,” the Pope said, “is meant to be transformative.” It should present a hope that can shatter the determinism and fatalism of the selfishness of the strong. It should shatter the conformism of the weak and the ideology of the utopians as the only way forward. To educate is always an act of hope, the Pope said, adding, it should open up new horizons in which hospitality, intergenerational solidarity and the value of transcendence give birth to a new culture. This hope should be grounded in solidarity, the Pope stressed, saying the education process should help respond to today’s challenges and problems and find solutions to the needs of every generation. This will help contribute to the flourishing of humanity now and in the future.

Education against selfishness, indifference

The Pope pointed out that “education is a natural antidote to the individualistic culture that at times degenerates into a true cult of the self and the primacy of indifference.”  The commitment of every level of society, he said, is needed for “a renewed kind of education that is not tempted to look the other way and thus favour grave social injustices, violations of rights, terrible forms of poverty and the waste of human lives.” The global educational pact calls for an integral process that responds to young people’s loneliness and uncertainty that generate depression, addiction, aggressiveness, verbal hatred and bullying. The pact addresses issues such as violence, the abuse of minors, the phenomenon of child marriage and child soldiers, the tragedy of children sold into slavery, as well as the “senseless and heartless exploitation” of the planet, leading to a grave environmental and climatic crisis.

Working together for the future

According to the Pope, amid the present health crisis and its effects, everyone should subscribe to a global pact on education for and with future generations. “This calls for a commitment on the part of families, communities, schools, universities, institutions, religions, governments and the entire human family to the training of mature men and women.” “The value of our educational practices,” the Pope said, “will be measured not simply by the results of standardized tests, but by the ability to affect the heart of society and to help give birth to a new culture.” The Holy Father said he believes “a different world is possible”, and this calls for the involvement of “every aspect of our humanity, both as individuals and in our communities.” He thus appealed to men and women of culture, science and sport, artists and media professionals in every part of the world to join in supporting this compact and promoting the values of care for others, peace, justice, goodness, beauty, acceptance and fraternity with their own testimony and efforts. Pope Francis concluded his video message summarising in 8 points how the Global Compact on Education intends to ensure “everyone has access to a quality education consonant with the dignity of the human person and our common vocation to fraternity.”

 Vatican news

 Le Pape propose un nouveau modèle éducatif mondial

 El Papa pide unirse al Pacto Educativo Global y "dar vuelta" el modo de desarrollo

 Wortlaut: Franziskus lanciert einen globalen Pakt für Bildung und Erziehung

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