Holy See to OSCE: on discrimination, tolerance, integration in EU
(Vatican Radio) The Holy See’s Permanent Representative to UN offices in Vienna, Msgr. Janusz Urbanczyk, has urged the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe to pay greater attention to discrimination against Europe’s Christians and to work in unison to promote tolerance and the integration of hundreds of thousands of refugees and migrants arriving on Europe’s shores.
Msgr. Urbanczyk, who also represents the Holy See at the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, offered his observations in a statement 9 June at the 1104th Meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council.
Below, please find the text of Msgr. Urbanczyk’s statement:
Statement re: Address by Mr. Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
Mr. Chairman,
The Delegation of the Holy See joins the previous speakers in warmly welcoming H. E. Mr. Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, to the Permanent Council and thanks him for his intervention. His presence at this Permanent Council reminds us once more of the great European project, inspired - as Pope Francis said in his address upon receiving the Charlemagne Award last month -by that “ardent hope and the quest for solidarity” that after the Second World War guided the founders and promoters of this project.
The Holy See has maintained official relations with the Council of Europe since 1962, having Observer status since 1970. In its capacity as Observer, the Holy See provides positive input to the Council of Europe’s work and participates in many Steering and ad hoc Committees. It has ratified several Council of Europe Treaties.
During his November 2014 address to the Council of Europe, Pope Francis explained the participation of the Holy See, saying that the Church “seeks nothing other than to serve and to bear witness to the truth” and “in this spirit, the Holy See intends to continue its cooperation with the Council of Europe, which today plays a fundamental role in shaping the mentality of future generations of Europeans” .
My Delegation devotes great attention to the co-operation between the OSCE and the Council of Europe and wishes to underline that it should take place with due respect for the different nature and membership of the two Organizations, avoiding duplication of efforts on matters of direct concern to both of them. In this regard, a delimitation of the respective areas of competence and of differing priorities seems preferable to the overlapping and replication of activities.
At the same time, we all acknowledge that there are issues that are common to both Organizations, where a well-planned and structured co-operation – respecting the differences between the CoE and the OSCE – could contribute to the common good. Here I would like briefly to draw your attention to two such common concerns, of particular relevance today: integration of migrants and promotion of tolerance.
We are witnessing an extraordinary migration of people fleeing from wars and persecutions, as well as from poverty and exclusion, from different areas close to Europe. According to the Holy See: “It is important to view migrants not only on the basis of their status as regular or irregular, but above all as people whose dignity is to be protected and who are capable of contributing to progress and the general welfare.
This is especially the case when they responsibly assume their obligations towards those who receive them, gratefully respecting the material and spiritual heritage of the host country, obeying its laws and helping with its needs” .
With regard to the promotion of tolerance, my Delegation notes with regret that a general rise in racism and intolerance (including anti-Semitism and discrimination against Muslims) is being observed in Europe. Furthermore, Christians also suffer intolerance and discrimination, whether they are in the majority or in the minority, often in ways that go unnoticed.
Anti-Christian sentiment appears to be the last acceptable prejudice and seems to receive less attention than other forms of intolerance because of Christianity’s position as the principal religion in Europe. Marginalization and social hostility against religions and committed believers seem to be among the main root causes of intolerance and discrimination, while public discourse plays a fundamental role in creating and reinforcing patterns of religious intolerance and discrimination.
Therefore, the Holy See encourages both the OSCE and the Council of Europe to pay due attention also to the discrimination and intolerance against Christians inside Europe, without applying any improper selectivity or hierarchical distinction. These concerns should represent a common concern for our Organizations since ignoring them would leave unchecked a direct threat to the stability of the international community or may even trigger violence and conflict on a wider-scale.
The Holy See considers interreligious dialogue and dialogue between religious communities and States to be powerful tools at our disposal, both to promote greater tolerance, respect and understanding, and to ensure the stability and security of our societies. My Delegation encourages every initiative to this end, while inviting all stakeholders to keep in mind the important differences between these two forms of dialogue.
In conclusion, I would like to assure Secretary General Jagland of the Holy See’s continued cooperation with the Council of Europe in its desire to achieve what has become known as Pope Francis’ “dream for Europe”. Also in his speech last month, His Holiness said he “dream[s] of a Europe that promotes and protects the rights of everyone, without neglecting its duties towards all (...) a Europe that cares for children, that offers fraternal help to the poor and those newcomers seeking acceptance because they have lost everything and need shelter (…) a Europe that is attentive to and concerned for the infirm and the elderly, lest they be simply set aside as useless (…) a Europe of families, with truly effective policies concentrated on faces rather than numbers, on birth rates more than rates of consumption” .
Lastly, my Delegation would like to assure Secretary General Jagland of its very best wishes for his future work. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
(Vatican Radio) The Holy See’s Permanent Representative to UN offices in Vienna, Msgr. Janusz Urbanczyk, has urged the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe to pay greater attention to discrimination against Europe’s Christians and to work in unison to promote tolerance and the integration of hundreds of thousands of refugees and migrants arriving on Europe’s shores.
Msgr. Urbanczyk, who also represents the Holy See at the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, offered his observations in a statement 9 June at the 1104th Meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council.
Below, please find the text of Msgr. Urbanczyk’s statement:
Statement re: Address by Mr. Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
Mr. Chairman,
The Delegation of the Holy See joins the previous speakers in warmly welcoming H. E. Mr. Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, to the Permanent Council and thanks him for his intervention. His presence at this Permanent Council reminds us once more of the great European project, inspired - as Pope Francis said in his address upon receiving the Charlemagne Award last month -by that “ardent hope and the quest for solidarity” that after the Second World War guided the founders and promoters of this project.
The Holy See has maintained official relations with the Council of Europe since 1962, having Observer status since 1970. In its capacity as Observer, the Holy See provides positive input to the Council of Europe’s work and participates in many Steering and ad hoc Committees. It has ratified several Council of Europe Treaties.
During his November 2014 address to the Council of Europe, Pope Francis explained the participation of the Holy See, saying that the Church “seeks nothing other than to serve and to bear witness to the truth” and “in this spirit, the Holy See intends to continue its cooperation with the Council of Europe, which today plays a fundamental role in shaping the mentality of future generations of Europeans” .
My Delegation devotes great attention to the co-operation between the OSCE and the Council of Europe and wishes to underline that it should take place with due respect for the different nature and membership of the two Organizations, avoiding duplication of efforts on matters of direct concern to both of them. In this regard, a delimitation of the respective areas of competence and of differing priorities seems preferable to the overlapping and replication of activities.
At the same time, we all acknowledge that there are issues that are common to both Organizations, where a well-planned and structured co-operation – respecting the differences between the CoE and the OSCE – could contribute to the common good. Here I would like briefly to draw your attention to two such common concerns, of particular relevance today: integration of migrants and promotion of tolerance.
We are witnessing an extraordinary migration of people fleeing from wars and persecutions, as well as from poverty and exclusion, from different areas close to Europe. According to the Holy See: “It is important to view migrants not only on the basis of their status as regular or irregular, but above all as people whose dignity is to be protected and who are capable of contributing to progress and the general welfare.
This is especially the case when they responsibly assume their obligations towards those who receive them, gratefully respecting the material and spiritual heritage of the host country, obeying its laws and helping with its needs” .
With regard to the promotion of tolerance, my Delegation notes with regret that a general rise in racism and intolerance (including anti-Semitism and discrimination against Muslims) is being observed in Europe. Furthermore, Christians also suffer intolerance and discrimination, whether they are in the majority or in the minority, often in ways that go unnoticed.
Anti-Christian sentiment appears to be the last acceptable prejudice and seems to receive less attention than other forms of intolerance because of Christianity’s position as the principal religion in Europe. Marginalization and social hostility against religions and committed believers seem to be among the main root causes of intolerance and discrimination, while public discourse plays a fundamental role in creating and reinforcing patterns of religious intolerance and discrimination.
Therefore, the Holy See encourages both the OSCE and the Council of Europe to pay due attention also to the discrimination and intolerance against Christians inside Europe, without applying any improper selectivity or hierarchical distinction. These concerns should represent a common concern for our Organizations since ignoring them would leave unchecked a direct threat to the stability of the international community or may even trigger violence and conflict on a wider-scale.
The Holy See considers interreligious dialogue and dialogue between religious communities and States to be powerful tools at our disposal, both to promote greater tolerance, respect and understanding, and to ensure the stability and security of our societies. My Delegation encourages every initiative to this end, while inviting all stakeholders to keep in mind the important differences between these two forms of dialogue.
In conclusion, I would like to assure Secretary General Jagland of the Holy See’s continued cooperation with the Council of Europe in its desire to achieve what has become known as Pope Francis’ “dream for Europe”. Also in his speech last month, His Holiness said he “dream[s] of a Europe that promotes and protects the rights of everyone, without neglecting its duties towards all (...) a Europe that cares for children, that offers fraternal help to the poor and those newcomers seeking acceptance because they have lost everything and need shelter (…) a Europe that is attentive to and concerned for the infirm and the elderly, lest they be simply set aside as useless (…) a Europe of families, with truly effective policies concentrated on faces rather than numbers, on birth rates more than rates of consumption” .
Lastly, my Delegation would like to assure Secretary General Jagland of its very best wishes for his future work. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
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