Pope: hunger, "a scandal" caused by slavery of individualism and profit at all costs
Vatican City ( AsiaNews) - The scandal
of hunger in today's world should force us to concretely " break down the
barriers of individualism, "fighting food waste , " one of the fruits
of the ' culture of waste ' which
often leads men and women to sacrifice themselves to the idols of profit and
consumption " and promote a culture of solidarity to counter the "globalization
of indifference".
This
was the focus of Pope Francis' message for World Food Day to the Director
-General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), José
Graziano da Silva.
"It
is a scandal - the Pope writes - that there is still hunger and malnutrition in
the world! Not only must we respond to immediate emergencies, but face together,
at all levels, a problem that challenges our personal and social awareness, to
bring about a just and lasting solution. Nobody should be forced to leave their
land and their cultural environment for the lack of the essential means of
subsistence! Paradoxically, at a time when globalization makes it possible to
know of the situations of need in world
and increase exchanges and human relationships, the tendency to individualism and profit
at all cost seems to be growing, which leads to an attitude of indifference -
on a personal level as well as that of institutions and states - to those who
die of hunger or suffer malnutrition
, as if it were an inescapable fact. But hunger and malnutrition can never be
considered a normal occurrence that we should be become used to, as if it were
part of the system . "
"Something
- continues the statement - must change in ourselves, in our minds, in our
societies. What can we do? I think one important step is to decidedly break down
the barriers of individualism, of closure, our slavery to profit at all costs and this not only in the dynamics of human relationships
, but also in the global economic and financial dynamics . I think it is
necessary now more than ever to educate ourselves to solidarity, to rediscover
the value and meaning of this word which is so uncomfortable and very often left
on the sidelines and see that it becomes the basic attitude of choices which
govern the political, economic and financial relations between people and
between nations. Only through concrete solidarity can selfish views and
partisan interests be overcome and the goal of eliminating certain forms of
poverty from lack of food finally be achieved. A solidarity that is not reduced
to the various forms of assistance, but that works to ensure that an increasing
number of people can be financially independent. Many
strides forward have been made in different countries, but we are still far
from a world in which everyone can live with dignity".
Referring
then to the theme of the Day this year " Sustainable food systems for food
security and nutrition", Francis sees " an invitation to rethink and
renew our food systems , from a perspective of solidarity , overcoming the
logic of the savage exploitation of
creation and better targeting our commitment to cultivate and care for the
environment and its resources to ensure food security and to move toward a
healthy and adequate nutrition for all. This poses a serious question on the
need to substantially improve our styles life,
including food , which in so many areas of the planet , are marked by
consumerism, waste and waste of food . "
On
result of the "culture of waste ", is a "sad sign of the '
globalization of indifference ' , which leads us to slowly 'grow used' to the
suffering of the other, as if it were normal," " the challenge of
hunger and malnutrition is not only a scientific
or economic issue, which concerns the quantitative and qualitative aspects of
the food chain, but also and above all an ethical and anthropological one. Thus
educating ourselves to solidarity, means educating humanity: building a society
that is truly human means always
placing the person and his dignity at the centre, and never selling it out to
the logic of profit".
Recalling
the upcoming International Year which , on the initiative of FAO, will be
dedicated to rural family , Francis invites us to reflect on "education
for solidarity and a way of life that goes beyond the ' culture of waste ' and
actually puts every person and his
dignity , part of the family at the center. " "Supporting
and protecting the family, educating to solidarity and respect, is a decisive
step to move toward a more just and humane society."
"May
today's celebration - said the Pope - not be just a simple annual event , but a
real opportunity to lead ourselves and institutions to operate in a culture of
encounter and solidarity , to give an adequate response to the problem of
hunger and malnutrition
and other issues that affect the dignity of every human being. "
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