Youth can offer new hope to the world

"Educating young people in Justice and Peace" is the theme of Pope Benedict’s message for the 2012 World Peace Day, released by the Vatican on Friday. The message, addressed to parents, educators and political leaders, as well as to young people themselves, outlines a holistic vision of education as an inter-generational pursuit of truth and freedom. But it also contains a call to action to hear the anxieties of young men and women today and respond to them with generosity, providing practical support for families and employment opportunities.
Noting the rising sense of frustration within many societies at the growing economic crisis, the Pope says young people, with their enthusiasm and idealism, can offer new hope to our world. It is essential, he says, that their idealism, as well as their anxieties, receive due attention at every level of society. Each one of us, he adds, has the task of communicating to the next generation, an appreciation for the positive values of life.
The World Peace Day message is published each year by the Pontifical Justice and Peace Council. Following a press conference on Friday, Philippa Hitchen asked the president of the Council, Cardinal Peter Turkson about the decision to focus on young people for this year’s message.

Listen to the interview:

Read Vatican Radio's summary of the World Peace Day Message:

The Message, on EDUCATING YOUNG PEOPLE IN JUSTICE AND PEACE, is addressed
especially to parents, families and all those involved in the area of education and formation, as
well as to leaders in the various spheres of religious, social, political, economic and cultural life
and in the media. The Message begins with an introductory paragraph (1) and is organized into 4
subsequent paragraphs (2-6), each of which has its own heading: (2) Educators; (3) Educating in
truth and freedom; (4) Educating in justice; (5) Educating in peace; (6) Lifting one’s eyes to
God.

The main points of the Message are:

1. Education is both a right (universal and unqualified with respect to persons’ sex, religion
or social standing), and a duty (of parents, of societies and of those who receive
education).
• Real, authentic education is “education in truth and freedom”, the source of which is
God. This includes, essentially, education in the right use of freedom, which is,
“central to the promotion of justice and peace, which require respect for oneself and
others, including those whose way of being and living differs greatly from one’s own.
(Para 3: Educating in truth and freedom)”
• Parents are the first educators: the family is the “first school” of education in justice
and peace. (Para 2: Educators). Those in charge of educational institutions have a
duty to ensure that children are able to receive an education consonant with their
families’ consciences and principles. (ibid.)
• Political leaders must work to guarantee access to education, to support families and
institutions in the mission of education, and to ensure that families be able to choose
the educational structures they consider most suitable for their children. (ibid.)

2. Justice is neither merely, nor even primarily a human convention: what is just is
ultimately determined by the truth of the human being – it is the integral vision of man
that saves us from falling into a contractual conception of justice and enables us to locate
justice within the horizon of solidarity and love. (Para 4: Educating in justice)

3. Peace is both divine gift and human task/responsibility:
• “We Christians believe that Christ is our true peace: in him, by his Cross, God has
reconciled the world to himself and has broken down the walls of division that
separated us from one another (cf. Eph 2:14-18); in him, there is but one family,
reconciled in love.” (Para 5: Educating in peace)
• “In order to be true peacemakers, we must educate ourselves in compassion,
solidarity, working together, fraternity, to being active within the community and
concerned to raise awareness about national and international issues and the
importance of seeking adequate mechanisms for redistribution of wealth, the
promotion of growth, cooperation for development and conflict resolution.” (ibid.)
• “Peace for all is the fruit of justice for all, and no one can shirk this essential task of
promoting justice, according to one’s particular areas of competence and
responsibility.” (ibid.)
The Message also contains, at the end of Para 2 (addressed to educators), appeals to the world of
the media, and to young people themselves.
• To media: “In today’s society the mass media have a particular role: they not only
inform but also form the minds of their audiences, and so they can make a significant
contribution to the education of young people. It is important never to forget that the
connection between education and communication is extremely close: education
takes place through communication, which influences, for better or worse, the
formation of the person.”
• To young people: “Young people too need to have the courage to live by the same
high standards that they set for others. Theirs is a great responsibility: may find the
strength to make good and wise use of their freedom. They too are responsible for
their education, including their education to justice and peace!”
The Message concludes with an exhortation under the heading: Raising one’s eyes to God, in
which Pope Benedict calls on everyone, and young people especially, not to give in to
discouragement, nor to seek easy solutions to difficult problems. “Do not be afraid to make a
commitment, to face hard work and sacrifice, to choose the paths that demand fidelity and
constancy, humility and dedication. Be confident in your youth and its profound desires for
happiness, truth, beauty and genuine love! Live fully this time in your life so rich and so full of
enthusiasm.” (Para 6: Raising one’s eyes to God)