Pope Francis meets UN secretary General Ban Ki-moon
(Vatican Radio) On the morning of Tuesday, April 9, 2013, in the Vatican 's Apostolic
Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience the Secretary-General of
the United Nations, HE Mr Ban Ki-Moon, who later met with His Eminence the Secretary
of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, accompanied by Archbishop Antoine Camilleri,
Under-Secretary for Relations with States.
The meeting, which is part in the
tradition of audiences granted by the Popes to the various Secretaries-General of
the United Nations who have succeeded each other over time, desired to express the
appreciation that the Holy See has for the central role of the Organization in the
preservation of peace in the world, in the promotion of the common good of humanity
and the defense of fundamental human rights.
The cordial conversations focused
on issues of mutual interest, in particular on situations of conflict and serious
humanitarian emergencies, especially Syria, and others, such as the Korean Peninsula
and the African continent, where peace and stability are threatened. Reference was
also made to the problem of trafficking in persons, especially women, and that of
refugees and migrants.
The UN Secretary General, who recently began his second
term in office, presented his five year program, focused, among other things, on conflict
prevention, international solidarity and equitable and sustainable economic development
.
Pope Francis also recalled the contribution of the Catholic Church, starting
from Her identity and the means that are proper to Her, in favor of integral human
dignity and the promotion of a Culture of Encounter that contributes to the highest
institutional purposes of organization.