The Chaldean primate was one of the speakers at the congress organized in Rome by the community of Sant’Egidio. Today will be the closing ceremony at the Colosseum, with an interreligious prayer in the presence of Pope Francis. The cardinal exhorted to work for a “civil and democratic model” of the State, founded “on citizenship, not on the sectarian system that divides.”
Rome () – In a world torn by “terrifying” conflicts, such as Russia’s war against Ukraine or the multiple conflicts in the Middle East, peace must be built through “solidarity between peoples, religions and cultures”, said the Chaldean Patriarch of Baghdad, Card. Louis Raphael Sako, in his speech at the “Cry for Peace” congress, organized in Rome by the Community of Sant’Egidio. The event began on October 23 and will culminate this afternoon with the prayer for peace in the Colosseum, with the presence of Pope Francis and representatives of world religions. The cardinal recalled that it is also necessary “to work to build a civil and democratic model based on citizenship and not on a sectarian system that divides.” Next, the presentation of the Chaldean patriarch:
Living together: the lesson of the pandemic
“The cry of peace” is a cry of hope for all of humanity, especially in a world situation like the one we are experiencing right now, which is a source of great concern. Consider, for example, the war between Russia and the Ukraine and the tensions and conflicts that we are experiencing in the Middle East, which are also terrifying. The number of dead and injured is high, many schools and universities are closed, the life of innocent citizens is almost paralyzed. They live in panic and do not know what may happen tomorrow. It’s terrible!
To build peace we had to promote cultural and religious diversity, closeness, solidarity and the effort of all countries and religions to stop the immediate danger of the pandemic! We must build that international union that we learned during the pandemic to end this absurd war between Russia and Ukraine, but also other conflicts. We must choose dialogue, diplomacy and peace to solve problems, not use weapons.
Peace cannot be achieved without the respect, love, fraternity and solidarity of all people and peoples, working for common security and well-being.
Because, indeed, peace is a process of formation. To achieve it you have to train, work on yourself. Of course, peace is also a challenge, but our differences, the elements that seem to divide us, actually allow us to be complementary. Each of us and each of our countries has a talent to offer to society as a whole.
We live in a new world that requires emphasizing the importance of diversity, in accordance with the global approach that aspires to equal human rights and respect for the freedom and dignity of all.
From these differences, from these complementarities, we naturally depend on each other: when I know that I need my neighbor, I pay more attention to him. Today it is necessary to go out of ourselves to work in a simple and concrete way, with friendship, to build peace: “Blessed are those who work for peace!” says Jesus (Mt 5, 8).
To build peace in our societies, true citizenship is a necessary condition for harmonious coexistence. Those who leave their countries of origin to come to the West seek rights and dignity.
Coexistence is articulated on several levels:
– Religious: we all believe in one God, although our expressions are different;
– Social: we are all brothers under the umbrella of humanity;
– Political: we are all citizens of the same planet.
However, religious extremism has distorted coexistence, politicized sectarianism has demolished the human mosaic, and corruption has destroyed society.
A solid formation in diversity as wealth is needed. And the role of educational institutions is not only to provide education so that people find work, but also to train the new generations in openness, respect for diversity, pluralism and the consolidation of solidarity and coexistence by working to:
– Develop students’ abilities through honest dialogue and friendship;
– Consolidate reconciliation and solidarity between different peoples, religions and cultures, to build peace and prosperity for all citizens, as Pope Francis repeated during his visit to Iraq in March 2021.
From this point of view, I invite everyone in the West and East to review the inherited traditions with open rationality, to eliminate all expressions of fundamentalism and hatred, to adapt to the current reality and social diversity. Finally, we must work to build a civil and democratic model based on citizenship and not on a sectarian system that divides.
To build peace in society, it is a necessary condition to develop true citizenship.
* Baghdad Patriarch of the Chaldeans
