Just days after the Pope signed the most important interfaith document in history, he had the opportunity to address global political leaders by video at the World Government Summit in Dubai. During his remarks he once again stressed the need for global unity, and he encouraged those attending to embrace “sustainable development”, but he also stressed that sustainable development will never succeed without “solidarity”. Of course most Americans don’t even know that a “World Government Summit” even exists because the mainstream media in the U.S. doesn’t really talk about it, but it is actually a very big deal. And obviously the Pope feels very strongly about what they are trying to do, because he took time out of his very busy schedule to record a video message for them…
World leaders are currently meeting at the World Government Summit, taking place in Dubai from 10-12 February. In his video message, Pope Francis greets those participating in the Summit, and recalls his own visit to the United Arab Emirates earlier this month. “I encountered a modern country which is looking to the future without forgetting its roots”, he said. “I also saw how even in the desert the flowers spring up and grow. I returned home with the hope that many deserts in the world can bloom like this.”
The World Government Summit is an annual event held in Dubai, UAE.[1] It brings together leaders in government for a global dialogue about governmental process and policies with a focus on the issues of futurism, technology and innovation, as well as other topics. The summit acts as a knowledge exchange hub between government officials, thought leaders, policy makers and private sector leaders, and as an analysis platform for the future trends, issues and opportunities facing humanity.[2]
In general, the Pope’s remarks were quite similar to what we have heard before, but I thought that two buzzwords that he used were quite noteworthy…
The Holy Father emphasized that “we cannot really speak of sustainable development without solidarity”. He concluded his message with by thanking those taking part, and with the prayer that the Lord might bless their commitment “for a more just and prosperous world for everyone”.
The phrase “sustainable development” has become a shorthand way of referring to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. It is a 17 point plan, and if you read the entire thing you quickly realize that it encompasses just about every realm of human activity that you can possibly imagine.
It is not just a plan to fight climate change. It is actually a comprehensive blueprint for global governance, and it envisions a much larger role for global institutions such as the UN in the years ahead.
But in the context of speaking about “sustainable development”, the Pope once again used the term “solidarity”. This is a word that he has been using a lot lately, and when he uses it he is referring to the need for global unity. More specifically, he almost always uses this buzzword when speaking of the need for global religious unity.
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