SHAFAQNA- Pope Francis on Saturday called for dialogue on both personal and political levels in Christmas message. In his “Urbi et Orbi” Christmas message given at midday in Saint Peter’s Square, Pope Francis said that our world needs dialogue, especially in these pandemic times where unity and solidarity are essential to overcoming the hurt in social relationships, putting them to the test. Imagine what our world would be like if it were not for the patient dialogue of so many generous persons trying to keep families and communities together, preventing and resolving conflicts, he said.
The pope also deplored that the “immense tragedies” in Syria, Yemen and Iraq were “being passed over in silence” . The Christmas message calls on us to respond to the tragedies in our world, he stressed, recalling the people of Syria who have suffered from ten years of war, and Iraq struggling to recover from decades of strife. He asked the world to hear the cry of the children of Yemen, suffering terribly as a result of a years-long conflict, Vatican News reported.
“On the international level , there is the risk of avoiding dialogue, the risk that this complex crisis will lead to taking shortcuts rather than setting out on the longer paths of dialogue.” “Yet only those paths can lead to the resolution of conflicts and to lasting benefits for all”, according to France 24.