Cardinal backs Pope’s call for protection of refugees
Vatican City, 09 July 2013: Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, President of Caritas
Internationalis, in a statement released on Monday backed Pope Francis’ call for greater
protection for refugees.
On Monday 8 July, Pope Francis visited the Sicilian
Island of Lampedusa, the landing point of tens of thousands of migrants trying to
reach Europe in hope of a better future.
“The Pope’s visit to Lampedusa reminded
us of the plight of millions of refugees around the world. Religious leaders and faith
based organizations have a key role to play in making sure those refugees are treated
with dignity and compassion. We must welcome all refugees as our brothers and sisters”
added the statement.
There are more than 40 million refugees, internally displaced
and stateless people in the world today.
Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga
has joined the UN refugee agency and representatives of other faith-based organisations
to call for greater protection for refugees.
The declaration, known as an Affirmation
of Welcome, is the first to involve UNHCR and a spectrum of faith-based organisations.
The Affirmation of Welcome sets out principles to guide faith leaders in providing
welcoming environments for refugees and displaced people, and those without citizenship,
including through promoting community understanding and tolerance, and combating xenophobia.
The text draws upon principles and values of welcome shared by religions including
Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism.
In November of this year,
the declaration will be launched formally at the King Abdullah International Centre
for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue in Vienna, in a conference organised
by Religions for Peace bringing together over 400 faith leaders from around the world.
Other organisations that have been involved include the office of the Archbishop
of Canterbury, Jesuit Refugee Service, the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, the University
of Vienna Faculty of Roman Catholic Theology, the World Council of Churches, the World
Evangelical Alliance and World Vision International.
"Welcoming the Stranger:
Affirmations for Faith Leaders" is available in Arabic, English, French, Hebrew, Russian
and Spanish via www.unhcr.org/51b6de419.html.
More information on the "Faith
and Protection" session of the UNHCR Annual Consultations with NGOs is also available
at www.unhcr.org/pages/501a39ce6.html.Source: VR Sedoc