Address structural causes of hunger, Pope tells officials

February 09, 2015

Some 500 officials gathered in Milan on February 7 to work on a draft of the “Charter of Milan”—a document on hunger that Italy will present to the international community.

In a video message, Pope Francis urged participants to “resolve the structural causes of poverty” and remember that “the root of all evils is inequity.”

“Renounce the absolute autonomy of markets and financial speculation and act first on the structural causes of inequity,” the Pope said as he described the dignity of the person and the common good as the “twin pillars” that should support economic policy.

Stating that “our planet is a mother for all of us,” the Pope compared the earth to a loan that our children have given us so that we may leave it in a better state. “Safeguard the earth not only with goodness, but also with tenderness,” he added.

 

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Further information:

• Videomessaggio del Santo Padre per l’evento "L’Expo delle idee" (Holy See Press Office)
• The Expo of Ideas: the first stage for the Charter of Milan. (Expo Milano)
• Feature: 500 experts gather in Milan for drafting of food charter (Xinhua)