The United Nations in New York tomorrow begins a two-day meeting with young people
under the theme “Youth: Dialogue and Mutual Understanding.” The meeting is part of
the programme celebrating the International Year of Youth. Several Catholic youth
organizations will also be participating.
“Everybody wants to get a share of
the young people on their side,” said Archbishop Francis Chullikatt, the Holy See’s
Permanent Observer to the United Nations. “The reason why the young people are becoming
the main protagonists of the dialogue is because they don’t want to have a young generation
in disconnect with the present world and the future.”
However, Archbishop Chullikatt
said the meeting at the United Nations is missing something which is often found at
the Church’s World Youth Days.
“They are not focusing very much on the real
values that the young people must have,” he told Vatican. “They need to be told what
are the values, the real values, they should be standing for. And what are the real
values they should be using as a compass for their future.”
Listen
to the full interview by Victoria Somogyi with Archbishop Francis Chullikatt: