Pope: project for a global educational pact to build a new humanism

Francis invites the representatives of the main religions, the exponents of international organizations and the various humanitarian institutions, from the academic, economic, political and cultural world to sign the "Global Compact on Education". The event scheduled for May 14, 2020 in Rome, in the Paul VI Hall in the Vatican.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Pope Francis has launched a proposal for a global educational pact to educate to universal solidarity, a "new humanism".

To do this, Francis is inviting the representatives of the main religions, the exponents of international organizations and the various humanitarian institutions, from the academic, economic, political and cultural world to sign the "Global Compact on Education", an alliance to rebuild the global educational pact and deliver a solid and fraternal common home to the younger generations.

The proposal was launched today with a video message and a message that start from what was stated in the Encyclical Laudato si 'in which "I invited everyone to cooperate in caring for our common home and to confront together the challenges that we face. Now, a few years later, I renew my invitation to dialogue on how we are shaping the future of our planet and the need to employ the talents of all, since all change requires an educational process aimed at developing a new universal solidarity and a more welcoming society.”

“To this end, I wish to endorse a global event, to take place on 14 May 2020 on the theme Reinventing the Global Educational Alliance. This meeting will rekindle our dedication for and with young people, renewing our passion for a more open and inclusive education, including patient listening, constructive dialogue and better mutual understanding. Never before has there been such need to unite our efforts in a broad educational alliance, to form mature individuals capable of overcoming division and antagonism, and to restore the fabric of relationships for the sake of a more fraternal humanity".

"There is thus a need to create an “educational village”, in which all people, according to their respective roles, share the task of forming a network of open, human relationships. According to an African proverb, “it takes a whole village to educate a child”. We have to create such a village before we can educate. In the first place, the ground must be cleared of discrimination and fraternity must be allowed to flourish, as I stated in the Document that I signed with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar on 4 February this year in Abu Dhabi."

The objective proposed by Francis is of a "kind of village it is easier to find global agreement about an education that integrates and respects all aspects of the person, uniting studies and everyday life, teachers, students and their families, and civil society in its intellectual, scientific, artistic, athletic, political, business and charitable dimensions. An alliance, in other words, between the earth’s inhabitants and our “common home”, which we are bound to care for and respect. An alliance that generates peace, justice and hospitality among all peoples of the human family, as well as dialogue between religions.".

To achieve these goals, it is necessary “, we must have the courage to place the human person at the centre. To do so, we must agree to promote formal and informal educational processes that cannot ignore the fact that the whole world is deeply interconnected, and that we need to find other ways, based on a sound anthropology, of envisioning economics, politics, growth and progress. In the development of a integral ecology, a central place must be given to the value proper to each creature in its relationship to the people and realities surrounding it, as well as a lifestyle that rejects the throw-away culture”.

“Another step is to find the courage to capitalize on our best energies, creatively and responsibly. To be proactive and confident in opening education to a long-term vision unfettered by the status quo. This will result in men and women who are open, responsible, prepared to listen, dialogue and reflect with others, and capable of weaving relationships with families, between generations, and with civil society, and thus to create a new humanism".

“For this reason, I look forward to meeting in Rome all of you who, in various ways and on every level, work in the field of education and of research. I encourage you to work together to promote, through a shared educational alliance, those forward-looking initiatives that can give direction to history and change it for the better. I join you in appealing to authoritative public figures in our world who are concerned for the future of our young people, and I trust that they will respond to my invitation. I also call upon you, dear young people, to take part in the meeting and to sense your real responsibility for the building of a better world. Our meeting will take place on 14 May 2020 in the Paul VI Audience Hall in the Vatican. A number of seminars on related topics will take place in various locations and help us prepare for this event."

"Let us seek solutions together, boldly undertake processes of change and look to the future with hope. I invite everyone to work for this alliance and to be committed, individually and within our communities, to nurturing the dream of a humanism rooted in solidarity and responsive both to humanity’s aspirations and to God’s plan”.

"The event to which Pope Francis invites the representatives of civil, religious, social and cultural society - says the statement of the Congregation for Catholic Education which is responsible for coordinating the initiative - is a point of arrival to make known and value what many people and institutions are already doing in the world, but at the same time it is a starting point to set and share some essential goals towards which to bring everyone's efforts and open new projects and paths that favor models of alternative cohabitation with respect to those of a mass and individualistic society, and therefore poor in human values and prospects for hope ".