Italian president shares Pope’s concern for youth hit by economic crisis

(January 02, 2012) The president of Italy has expressed his appreciation for Pope Benedict XVI’s invitation to look at 2012 with a trusting attitude, even though the sense of frustration over the unemployment and economic crises assailing society are quite understandable. In a New Year Day message to the Pope, President Giorgio Napolitano shared the Pope’s World Day of Peace message where he has expressed special solicitude for young people hit by today’s bad times. The crisis is particularly acute in Italy which is seeking to avoid a financial disaster that could worsen the euro-zone crisis. “I, too, cannot thus help but reiterate the importance of renewed attention that all components of society must dedicate to the anxieties and problems of the young generations,'' Napolitano wrote in his message. “Italy which recently marked 150 years of unification must show maximum solicitude for youth, as a nation cannot have a future it is does not safeguard its most vital human capital,” Napolitano added.