«Non-Violence: A Style of Politics for Peace». Message for the 50th World Day of Peace, the fourth of Pope Francis.

 «Non-Violence: A
Style of Politics for Peace». This
is the title of the Message for the 50th
World Day of Peace (1st january 2017), the fourth of
Pope Francis. Violence and Peace are at
the origin of two opposite ways to building society.

The proliferation of hotbeds
of violence produces most serious negative social consequences. The Holy Father
sums up this situation in the expression: “A Third World War in Pieces”. Peace,
by contrast, promotes social positive consequences and it allows the
achievement of real progress. Therefore, we should act within what is possible,
and negotiate ways of peace even where they seem tortuous and impractical. Thus,
non-violence can acquire a more
comprehensive and new meaning. It will not only consist of desire, of moral
rejection of violence, barriers, destructive impulses, but also of a realistic political
method that gives rise to hope.

Such a political method is based
on the primacy of law. If the rights and the equal dignity of every person are
safeguarded without any discrimination and distinction, then non-violence, understood as a political
method, can constitute a realistic way to overcome arm conflicts. In this
perspective, it becomes important to increasingly recognize not the right of
force but the force of right.

With this Message,
Pope Francis wants to show a further step, a path of hope, appropriate to
today’s historical circumstances. In this way, the settlement of disputes may
be reached through negotiation without then degenerating into armed conflict. Within
such a perspective the culture
and identity of Peoples are respected and the opinion that some are morally
superior to others is overcome.

At the same time, however,
it does not mean that one Nation can remain indifferent to the tragedies of
another. Rather it means a recognition of the primacy of diplomacy over the noise
of arms.

Arms trade is so widespread that
it is generally underestimated. Illegal arms trafficking supports not a few world’s
conflicts. Non-violence as a
political style can and must do much to stem this scourge.

***

TheWorld
Peace Day initiated by Paul VI is celebrated
each year on the first day of January. The Holy Father's Message is sent to all Foreign Ministries of the world and it
indicates the diplomatic concerns of the Holy See during the coming year.