In his speech at the 62nd session of the Human Rights Council, Mgr Ettore Balestrero, permanent observer to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, said that “the increase in conflicts reduces funding for development.” “The real cost of all this falls on the poor and those in need,” he added.
Vatican News
«To build peace, it is urgent to move from a “culture of power” to an authentic “culture of negotiation” based on solidarity and the recognition that our neighbor is not first and foremost an enemy, but a fellow human being.HAS”. This is the heart of the statement by Mgr Ettore Balestrero, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, on the occasion of the 62nd ordinary session of the Human Rights Council.
Fraternity and social friendship, at the heart of every just relationship
The apostolic nuncio was inspired, for his reflection, by the report of independent experts on peace and international solidarity, which underlines “the importance of favoring the peaceful resolution of disputes rather than militarization and division“, as also stipulated in the Charter of the United Nations. The report, declared Archbishop Balestrero, highlights the fact that “Today, increasing conflicts are accompanied by a simultaneous reduction in development funding, as well as budget cuts in health, education and other social sectors.». Andunfortunately, the real cost of all this falls on the poorest and most deprived“, he commented.
He drew collective attention to the themes of “fraternitéand of l’«social friendships»: let the princes who «must be at the heart of any just relationship between peoples».
Misinformation perpetuates marginalization
Mgr Balestrero then focused on the “trend towards disinformation on social networks and in political discoursewhoperpetuates the marginalization of people of different religions or ethnicities, thereby increasing the risk of incitement to discrimination and/or violence». «Peace and solidarity» are also threatened.
In this regard, the bishop cited the encyclical of Pope Leo XIV, Magnificent Humanityin which the Sovereign Pontiff emphasizes that: “Disinformation was not born with AI, but today it finds a powerful amplifier in it. The ability to manipulate content, images and videos exposes people to distorted or misleading perspectives». «The search for vérité – concluded the nonce –, an essential element of democracy, is in itself a means of contributing to the common good».
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