On the occasion of the 55th World Day of Peace, which is celebrated on 1 January 2022, Pope Francis has sent a message entitled «Dialogue between generations, education and work: tools for building lasting peace».

In his message, the Pope wants to propose three paths for building a lasting peace. First, dialogue between generations as the basis for the realization of shared projects. Second, education as a factor of freedom, responsibility and development. Finally, labour as a means for the full realization of human dignity. Throughout his speech the Pope mentions young people repeatedly.

Dialogue between generations to build peace

In a world still gripped by the pandemic that has created untold problems, “some people attempt to flee from reality, taking refuge in their own little world; others react to it with destructive violence. Yet between selfish indifference and violent protest there is always another possible option: that of dialogue. Dialogue between generations”.

The current health crisis has increased our sense of isolation and a tendency to self-absorption. The loneliness of the elderly is matched in the young by a sense of helplessness and a lack of a shared vision about the future.  

Although technological and economic development has tended to create a divide between generations, our current crises show the urgent need for an intergenerational partnership. Young people need the wisdom and experience of the elderly, while those who are older need the support, affection, creativity and dynamism of the young.

Great social challenges and peace processes necessarily call for dialogue between the keepers of memory – the elderly – and those who move history forward – the young: together, we can learn from one another.

The opportunity to build paths of peace together cannot ignore education and labour, which are privileged settings and contexts for intergenerational dialogue.

Teaching and education as drivers of peace

In recent years, there has been a significant reduction worldwide in funding for education and training; these have been seen more as expenditures than investments. Yet they are the primary means of promoting integral human development.

It is my hope that investment in education will also be accompanied by greater efforts to promote the culture of care. “A country flourishes when constructive dialogue occurs between its many rich cultural components: popular culture, university culture, youth culture, artistic culture, technological culture, economic culture, family culture and media culture”. It is essential, then, to forge a new cultural paradigm through “a global pact on education for and with future generations, one that commits families, communities, schools, universities, institutions, religions, governments and the entire human family to the training of mature men and women”. 

By investing in the education and training of younger generations, we can help them – through a focused programme of formation – to take their rightful place in the labour market. 

Creating and ensuring labour builds peace

Labour is an indispensable factor in building and keeping peace. It is an expression of ourselves and our gifts, but also of our commitment, self-investment and cooperation with others, since we always work with or for someone. Seen in this clearly social perspective, the workplace enables us to learn to make our contribution towards a more habitable and beautiful world.

The Covid-19 pandemic has negatively affected the labour market, which was already facing multiple challenges. Furthermore, young people entering the job market and recently unemployed adults presently face bleak prospects.

Labour, in fact, is the foundation on which to build justice and solidarity in every community. «Work is a necessity, part of the meaning of life on this earth, a path to growth, human development and personal fulfilment». We need to combine our ideas and efforts in order to create the solutions and conditions that can provide everyone of working age with the opportunity, through their work, to contribute to the lives of their families and of society as a whole.