Earlier this week, Eurodiaconia took part in the World Conference on combating xenophobia and racism organised by the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Catholic Church in Rome.

The conference focused on “Xenophobia, Racism and Populist Nationalism in the Context of Global Migration” and was jointly organized by the WCC and the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development in cooperation with the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

During the high-level conference, several keynote speakers addressed their interventions on the topic and working groups offered the possibility to discuss regional concerns in smaller groups. The assembly released a common message calling to ensure asylum and respect for the rights of all people fleeing from war, persecution or natural disaster.

The participants of the conference had also the opportunity to meet Pope Francis, who met the leaders of different Christian churches and representatives of civil society and greeted individually each attendant in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican City.

We live in a time – said Pope Francis – where feelings of suspicion, fear and even hatred are coming back to life and spreading across the society. Unfortunately, even politics tend to take advantage of these fears and the struggles of some groups for their own interests. Those who benefit from a system of precariousness and exploitation will have to account before God”.

 

To learn more about the World Conference on combating xenophobia and racism, please read WCC news.

To know more about Pope Francis message at the World Conference on Xenophobia, please read WCC news or Pope Francis’ full speech (available only in Italian).